9 
We append, in proper place, in appendix to this report, a list of 
rivers and creeks and their tributaries in this State. The lst 1s, 
perhaps, as complete as has ever been published, and is compiled 
from that published in the United States Fish Commissioners’ Re- 
port, added to from information obtained, as before stated, from our 
Representatives, and from personal inspection and survey of the 
Commissioners. | 
We.also give a list of Streams crossed by railroads, and nearest 
station, showing how they are reached. For these lists we are, in 
the main, indebted to the various railroad managements noted. 
We give in this report a complete list of our native fish, with 
localities in which they are found, and their scientific and common 
names. 
For this list we are indebted to Prof. 8. A. Forbes, State Ento- 
mologist, to whom we desire to return our thanks for the labor and 
time expended in our behalf, in its preparation. Prof. Forbes has 
given the study of our native fish a great deal of attention, and his 
works and bulletins are among the standard authorities upon this 
subject. ' 
HATCHING HOUSE. 
So far we have made no effort to artificially propagate young fish, 
but, in our own opinion, the time has come when it will be neces- 
sary for the Commission to do some work in that direction. The 
great lakes have, for years, been planted with young white-fish and 
trout by the Government and the States adjoining them. Illinois, 
so far, has never contributed a fish, and when the immense benefit 
that has been derived from the fish business by our people is con- 
sidered, it would seem that we are not acting as fairly as we might. 
The Government has, as we understand, given our lakes white- 
fish and trout without such expenditure being warranted by the law 
making their appropriations, and cannot be depended upon as al- 
ways doing the work for us. 
The pike-perch, wall-eyed pike, can be artificially propagated 
successfully, and at very little expense. It is a fish that is meeting 
with great favor everywhere throughout our State, and in our opin- 
ion should be as extensively distributed as possible. The expendi- 
ture necessary to erect and maintain a hatching house suitable for 
the work indicated, would be small compared with the results to be 
accomplished, and can, we think, economically be made a part of 
our system. 
We propose to adhere rigidly to our policy so~ successfully fol- 
lowed in the past, viz: Allowing nature to furnish from her great 
hatching houses the bulk of the native fish we use, and believe 
that the true theory of repopulating our streams is putting such fish 
in the waters as have been the nearest native to them. Yet figures will 
show that in the case of wall-eyed pike, and some other varieties, 
Dame Nature can be badly beaten in the percentage of increase by 
artificial propagation. 
