NATIONAL FISHERY CONGRESS. 
343 
It was the writer’s privilege to carry on a delightful correspondence with Herr von 
Behr for several years. Dropping all official forms and, indeed, all formality whatever, 
his letters were earnest, confidential, and full of enthusiasm. They expressed the same 
love and admiration for Professor Baird that Americans felt for him at home, and 
never lacked in expressions of his great admiration of American fish culture. They 
also record his sad domestic bereavements, and told how, after the loss of his three 
sons, he had resolved to devote the remainder of his life to the cause of fish culture 
in Germany. I am aware that much criticism has been expressed because Von Behr’s 
name has been given by Americans to a European trout since its introduction into 
this country} but whatever may be said of the judiciousness of the act, no oue can 
deny that it was a fitting compliment to a man who richly deserved the honor, nor 
can anyone deny that it reflects credit on the kindly feeling which sought in this 
way to recognize America’s indebtedness to Von Behr, and to perpetuate in America 
the name of the distinguished German fish-culturist. 
The Count von Behr was a generous, warm-hearted, lovable man, and his con- 
tributions in labor and in influence to the cause of fish-culture can never be measured. 
He was one of those who formed the great triumvirate of the early history of practical 
fish-culture — Green , Baird , von Belir. Hopeful as we are of the future fish-cultural 
work of the world, we nevertheless confess to feeling a presentiment that “ we ne’er 
shall look upon their like again.” 
I regret that this disjointed and imperfect sketch must suffice for the present for 
a subject that deserves better treatment. I would like to speak of Frank Buckland, 
of Englaud, who did so much to encourage fish-culture in Great Britain ; of Professor 
Milner, the zealous and conscientious colleague of the writer; of Robert B. Roose- 
velt, who edited the first newspaper column in this country exclusively devoted to 
fish-culture; of Theodore Lyman, of Massachusetts, the leading spirit in the first fish- 
cultural movement in Hew England ; of Judge Bellows, of Hew Hampshire, who took 
the first steps in this country toward the public recognition of fish-culture; of Gov- 
ernor Horatio Seymour, of Hew York, who gave his powerful influence to its support, 
early in the seventies, and of many others who contributed more or less prominently 
to its early development. But both time and space preclude the possibility of this, 
and I can only congratulate my brother fish-culturists that there are so many devoted 
workers in the cause still living to fill the places left vacant by their faithful prede- 
cessors who have gone to their reward. 
