FISH A XV FISHING. 



295 



in a blinding snow storm off Governor's 

 island, in Lake Mendota, Madison, Wis., 

 with rod and reel, hooked and landed a 

 small mouth black bass that, when taken 

 from the water, weighed 8 pounds 10 

 ounces, and measured 24^ inches in 

 length and I7j4 inches in girth. So far as is 

 known, this is the largest specimen of the 

 species Micropterus dolomici ever caught in 

 America. The truth of this statement is 

 proved by the presence of the fish, now 

 mounted and on exhibition in Madison, 

 and by the sworn affidavits of not less than 

 8 well known and responsible business 

 men of the city, who were present when 

 the fish was weighed on several scales, and 

 who saw the measurements taken, said 

 affidavits being attested by the Secretary of 

 State, and bearing the great seal of Wis- 

 consin. 



DEPLETING THE STREAMS. 

 Many wonder why the supply of fish in 

 our inland waters becomes steadily less. 

 There arc several reasons, the chief one 



Ieing the violation of the fish laws by net- 

 ng, spearing, using set lines, etc. Of 

 ourse. all wild life, including fish, will de- 

 rease as civilization advances. The im- 

 rovements, such as removing natural 

 growth of timber, brush, etc., and all arti- 

 ficial drainage tends toward the destruc- 

 tion of wild life. Again, as the population 

 increases, anglers increase, methods of 

 capture increase, while all bodies of water 

 decrease and the fish become less. Netting 

 and spearing fish in the spring not only 

 destroys the finest specimens, but that sea- 

 * son's spawn is also destroyed. Keep up 

 this method of warfare several years 

 and the result is obvious. Another cause, 

 and one extremely hard to remedy, is the 

 fish hog, who. like his twin brother, the 

 game hog. kills to make a record. Not 

 being content with a reasonable catch, he 

 kills all he can, big and little. 



There are good laws for the protection 

 ol fish and game, but until there is a great 

 change in public sentiment in- favor of en- 

 rcing such laws it will be extremely dif- 

 cull to accomplish this, though an occa- 

 onal conviction has its good effect. 

 When a majority of the people look on 

 violation of the fish and game laws in 

 c same light as other violations of law, 

 len we may look for an increase of both 

 fish and game. When individuals who 

 ish to see the laws enforced will testify 

 gainst violators, then violations will cease. 

 Will L. Robinson, Union City, Mich. 



Genera and Species of Fishes from Puer- 

 to Rico," by B. W. Evermann and M. C. 

 Marsh. 



This is a preliminary publication of some 

 of the scientific results of explorations in 

 Puerto Rico by the U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion during January and February, 1899, 

 in advance of the general report on a bio- 

 logical expedition to Puerto Rico by the 

 U. S. steamer Fish-Hawk. The work re- 

 lating to fishes was under the immediate 

 direction of Doctor Evermann, ichthyolo- 

 gist of the U. S. ' Fish Commission, as- 

 sisted by Mr. Marsh. The island was cir- 

 cumnavigated, trips were made to the in- 

 terior fresh waters, and some neighboring 

 islands visited. 



In the present article the authors de- 

 scribe 3 genera and 20 species new to 

 science. The list comprises an eel, 2 an- 

 chovies, a sea bass, a porgy, a wrasse-fish. 

 4 gobies, and 10 blennies. The 3 new 

 genera are of the blenny family. 



The various groups of animals collected 

 on this expedition are now being studied 

 by specialists in these lines, and the results 

 of their studies will be embodied in the 

 forthcoming report. 



AN UNEXPECTED CATCH. 

 We were fishing for bass; had just put 

 on my first minnow for the year '98. Let- 

 ting the line run off I noticed one strand 

 of the silk was broken. Just then I had a 

 strike, and away went the line, not in a 

 mad rush, but steadily and straight. After 

 going about 50 feet the fish stopped, turned 

 and swallowed my minnow; then came 

 back within a few feet of the boat. By that 

 time I knew it was not a bass. I thought 

 of a weak joint in the rod, of the broken 

 strand, and as the fish made a run for 

 some floating logs I pulled. Then he 

 headed for a bunch of willows, and I 

 thought the 9-ounce bamboo would not 

 stand the strain. Finally he came out and 

 tried again for the logs. So far I had not 

 seen my fish, but was content to know we 

 were both on the same line. Then, while 

 he was moving more slowly, I gradually 

 brought him near the surface, and saw I 

 had a muskalonge. He did not like my 

 looks so well as I did his, and he made 

 the water fly and the reel hum ; but at last 

 I got him into the boat. He weighed just 

 10 pounds. A 2-pounder was the largest 

 bass of the day. but I was satisfied. 



Stubb, Orwell, O. 



NEW FISHES FROM PUERTO RICO. 

 ^ I have received from the U. S. Fish 

 Commission an excerpt from its annual 

 report, containing ''Descriptions of New 



NIBBLES. 



Kindly tell me if the fishing on the Cu- 

 ban coast is particularly good, at readily 

 accessible points. Any information you 

 can give me I shall be grateful for. 



Y\\ O. Watson, Charlottesville, Va. 



