Tas 
really good quality, and half of these are among the best of the fresh water 
fishes. In the following list the edible species are distinguished in classes of 
graduated importance, according to our judgment of the estimation in which 
these fishes are generally held. A few species are put in a lower class than 
their quality would call for because of their infrequent occurrence in our 
fisheries. 
Although the fisheries of the state are not, it must be admitted, commer- 
cially of the first importance, they are of sufficient economic interest to 
make it the duty of all concerned to preserve them carefully and to take all 
practicable measures for their improvement and development. Making due 
allowance for fishes sold in local markets, distributed by peddlers, eaten by 
those who take them, and not represented, consequently, in published sta- 
tistics of the trade, it may be fairly said that our Illinois fisheries now yield 
at the rate of a pound a day, throughout the year, of cheap and desirable 
food to about 80,000 persons—virtually equivalent to one meal of fish a day 
for a quarter of a million people. It is encouraging to conclude, from a 
comparison of available statistics, that we have no reason to believe that 
the general fishery product of our rivers is now declining, either in value 
or amount. On the contrary, according to reports of the State Fishermen’s 
Association published from 1897 to 1901, the total value of the Illinois river 
product increased by 60 per cent during that:interval, being $207,685 for 
1897, and $351,753 for 1901. The yield of carp increased in. value 69 per 
cent during this period; that of buffalo, 88 per cent; of black bass, 32 per 
cent; of catfish and bullpouts, 41 per cent; of crappie, 47 per cent; of sun- 
fish and yellow perch, 154 per cent; and that of striped bass, 27 per cent,— 
the only important species then reported as diminishing being the sheeps- 
head or fresh-water drum, commonly marketed as white perch, the yield of 
which declined 2714 per cent.* 
COMPARATIVE STATISTICS, FISHERIES ILLINOIS RIVER, 1897 AND 1901. 
(Computed from Reports of the Illinois Fishermen’s Association.) 
1897 1901 
CATB Fo ae Fake ca dow teas ate oad gene ee oe cee De ee te dete coin ec c eneere e 99, 059 167, 266 
Buffalo: 23s hans oe es ee ee oe 48,139 90,357 | 
Black sDassi.. desc kes act ole Pare te See ektete ete a Oe RS Te Genes Se 8, 434 4,532 
Drttim aes esen a ah « liege oh coe Oa AS ce 14, 838 
Catfish and bullpouts....... 0c... sees ee cece cee ee cee cee ee cee eee ee 26, 283 36, 933 
Spoonbill... .ci.s kee ie ee ee ee ee 232 
Sunfish and: perch we cs oes, eile ee eee ai eee ee 3,080 - 7,830 
Striped’ bass. 2¢/: sole es, al iho Ss ees oe 4,117 
CHAP DIC shai ie ee ee ee Re eae oC ER LE, eee lig Beene eae 4,004 5, 886 
DOS FSI 20 specie She wide oR pba Hh eR ae MiB adm Teiaw unten re Det otse ac oa en 10, 460 
207, 685 . 342, 445 
| a 
* Unpublished data of shipments from Illinois River points, recently furnished 
me through the courtesy of Mr. N. H. Cohen, President of the Illinois State Fish 
Commission, enable me to compare the total product of this river for 1906 and 
1907 with that for 1909 as contained in the Report of the United States Commis- 
sioner of Fish and Fisheries for the year ending 1901. Against a total product of 
‘the Illinois River of approximately 14% million. pounds in 1899 we have, for 1906, 
16,149,076 pounds, and, for 1907, ies ad 137 pounds, or an average for the two latter 
years of 14,683,606 pounds. —S. 
