142 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



particularly well at Cold Spring Harbor, and the highly-important white- 

 fish exceeded in its output that of the previous season by more than 8,000,- 

 000. Arrangements perfected by the Commission, during the past year, 

 will make it possible to procure a very much larger supply of eggs of the 

 leading varieties of food fish for next season's work. The total output of 

 all species of food fish for the season was 106,617,415. 



TI)e Game PisI) 



Although the primary purpose of the State hatcheries is always to keep 

 the inland waters of the State well stocked with fish to meet the constantly 

 increasing demands of the people for an ample supply of cheap and desirable 

 food, considerable attention must also of necessity be given to the rearing 

 of the so-called " game fish." In our State this classification includes 

 only the several varieties of trout, but in other states the pike-perch is 

 included. During the past season the output of trout exceeded that of 

 1903 by 584,499, and the grand total output of game fish was 5,045,914. The 

 Commission was able during the year to restock many depleted streams 

 for which applications were made by line fishermen, and also to supply an 

 unusually large number of requests from citizens interested in public 

 waters in many parts of the State. Apparently the severity of the winter 

 did not affect the trout to any extent and good fishing was reported by 

 those living in the very localities where the streams were said to have been 

 frozen solid and from which doleful predictions came that the waters 

 would be barren of fish in the spring. 



The wisdom of the Legislature in making timely and encouraging appro- 

 priations for the use of the hatchery system rendered it possible for the 

 Commission to so improve several of the hatcheries that their condition is 

 now better than it has been before in years. It is believed that the extensions 

 made at Margaretville will now render it possible to produce a supply ample 

 for the stocking of the waters in the important Catskill region, and that 

 changes made at the Pleasant Valley, Cold Spring and Fulton Chain hatch- 

 eries will result in more and better work at each. The great hatchery at 

 Caledonia, and the very important trout hatchery at Saranac Inn Station, 

 should have similar attention next season. It is also desirable that pro- 



