64 Clinton's introductory discourse. 



fishes of New-York, and it is to be hoped that he will continue his 

 useful labours.* The migration of fishes is as curious an object of 

 inquiry as that of birds. The anadromous fish affords, particularly, 

 great scope for observation. Is it true that while the herrings ascend 

 on one side of the Hudson above Albany, that the shad proceed on the 

 other ?f Our great lakes, and the streams which run into them, present 

 a wide field for remark : it is worthy of notice that there are in the 

 lakes fishes corresponding in appearance with those in the sea: the sheep's 

 head, the sturgeon, and the bass, may be mentioned as instances. It 

 has been judged very difficult to discover how sturgeon get into Lake 

 Erie, on account of the Falls of Niagara ; and it is said that a French 

 governor had some conveyed into it from Lake Ontario ; but it is very 

 easy to account tor it in another way : the Illinois river frequently com- 

 municates, in spring and autumn, with the Chicago creek, which dis- 

 charges itself into Lake Michigan.^ 



The production and migration of eels have puzzled naturalists. The 

 laws which govern this fish are peculiar : the eel goes to the sea for 

 production, and the young ones attain their growth and maturity in 

 fresh water. 



The milldams and other artificial obstacles in rivers against the 

 ascent of anadromous fishes have, in some places, entirely expelled them, 

 and in others diminished their number. The salmon, if we may credit 

 the account of Hudson's voyage, formerly visited this river : he is now 

 an entire stranger, and he is retiring very rapidly from the Connecticut 

 river, and from several streams that flow into the western lakes.^ The dis- 

 appearance offish for years, as for instance the lobster, during the revo- 



* See Note Y. t See Note Z. J See Note AA. § See Note BB. 



