THE GAME BREEDER 



could hardly abstain from fishing on the 

 ground of cruelty. It does not hurt 

 them much to be caught. In an un- 

 guarded moment of exultation the writer 

 once hauled a big pickerel far into the 

 air, but the line broke near the fish's 

 mouth, and it fell back into the pond 

 with the spoon hook still in his gill and 

 the water was so bright and clear that it 

 could be easily seen on occasions as the 

 fish swam about somewhat akwardly try- 

 ing to release himself. But after fashing 

 for a half-hour or so and returning to 

 the same spot, much to the writer's sur- 

 prise, the fish again took another bait 

 and was landed with the spoon hook still 

 in its mouth. Although the hook was 

 caught in a part of the gill which was 

 nearer gristle or cartilage than real flesh ; 

 it was pretty good evidence that the fish 

 considered his breakfast of more conse- 

 quence than the hurt. 



.There is no expression of feeling or 

 emotion in a fish; no apparent motive 

 in its monotonous existence except to 

 get enough to eat. to keep away from its 

 enemies, and to provide for a continu- 

 ance of its species. Owing to their cold 

 blood they do not much mind a sudden 

 change of temperature as is the case with 

 almost everything that lives upon the 

 surface of the earth, thus making their 

 breeding and rearing all the simpler and 

 easier. 



Fish culture is one of the oldest in- 

 dustries of which we have any knowl- 

 edge. It has been practiced in China 

 from time immemorial and from one- 

 fifth to one-tenth of the entire population 



are engaged wholly or in part in it. If 

 it were not for the fish industry there 

 would be a constant famine in 'China. 

 The ancient Roman epicures always bred 

 the fish they served on their own tables 

 and they used as much of it as they did 

 of any other kind of animal flesh. The 

 inland fisheries of Egypt were so pro- 

 ductive about the third century that the 

 revenues from one small lake were said 

 to be sufBcient to give the queen 

 $500,000 a year for pin money, and in- 

 deed to enrich the country. 



When the United States was first set- 

 tled its inland waters swarmed with fish 

 and fish food was so abundant that it 

 was not profitable to breed or propagate 

 them. Nor at that early period was it 

 even necessary to protect them by law. 

 But by and by, owing to the clearing 

 of the forests, the pollution of the 

 streams, and the catching of fish during 

 their breeding season, they naturally be- 

 gan to rapidly deplete, and about 75 

 years ago laws were enacted for their 

 protection. The depletion has gone on, 

 however, until now, and in about the 

 same ratio as the repletion of game fish 

 laws. If they are not soon to become 

 altogether extinct something must be 

 done. It is high time to call a halt in 

 lawmaking and to take a step forward 

 in real propagation. It will be the pur- 

 pose of succeeding articles to show how 

 our inland streams and other waters may 

 again teem with food fish and how their 

 culture may be made as profitable as any 

 other kind of business. 



FISH PONDS 



By L. L. Dyche, State Fish and Game Warden' of Kansas. 



The subject of ponds is one that the 

 writer has been interested in for many 

 years, and since his connection with the 

 State Department of Fish and Game his 

 interest has been increased and renewed, 

 and he expects to give a considerable 

 amount of attention to it in the future. 

 He hopes to be able in different ways, 

 and especially through publications is- 



sued by the department, to place before 

 the people of Kansas all the information 

 available on the subjects of construction, 

 maintenance and use of ponds. Since the 

 country has been occupied by civilized 

 people the greatest activity and energy 

 have been put forth to develop the lands 

 for agricultural, horticultural and live- 

 stock purposes. Improved and scientific 



