In the collection of statistics, of which I hand you herewith a copy, many interesting suggestions have been made. The most important one is that there should be a small appropriation made for purchase of a patrol boat, to be used by the oyster protectors in patrolling the territory in their charge. Some protection to the vast amount of property lying under water is secured by the oystermen themselves by providing watchmen; but this protection has been supplemented by the Legislature by providing for two oyster protectors. The work of these men, however, is considerably hampered by not having a boat. A small naphtha, or steam launch, could be cheaply purchased, and could be used very satisfactorily. I am just beginning to appreciate the importance of my branch of your work. As Shellfish Commissioner I am charged with the supervision, not only of the oyster business, but of its attendant industries, clams, mussels and scallops. The latter industry alone employs at least one hundred men in Peconic Bay. There is such a variety of conflicting interests to be considered and differences to be adjusted that my time is constantly and fully employed.

In conclusion I might add, since the law of 1887, entitled "An Act to promote the cultivation of shellfish in the waters of this State," there have been, of the whole territory, covered by franchises and leases up to date 17,707 acres, and there are still at least 200,000 acres available.

I append a summary of operations of the Menhaden Oil and Guano Association. All of which I respectfully submit.

EDWARD THOMPSON,
Shellfish Commissioner.

SECRETARY'S REPORT, U. S. MENHADEN OIL AND GUANO ASSOCIATION.

Report of the Superintendent of

Hatcheries.

To the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests:

GENTLEMEN: I have the pleasure of submitting to you a report of the operations at our different hatching stations throughout the State during the period from April 25th, 1895, up to October of the same year.

I am sorry to say that but three of the State Hatcheries are so located that it is possible for them to successfully raise yearlings of any of the different trout, but I do consider it possible for these three hatcheries to successfully rear at least one-half a million trout, such as lake trout, brook and brown trout, rainbow trout and land-locked salmon, to the age of eight and twelve months. This necessitates the expenditure of more money than has been expended under the old system of fry planting; but if we tax our hatcheries to the utmost, we must still turn out quite a number of fry, for the reason that it is impossible to rear all the fry that we can hatch. For example, a hatching trough that will carry successfully 150,000 trout eggs to the hatching period, would not with safety carry 50,000 very young fry, and at twenty days old not over 25,000; at the time when they commence to feed, ten to fifteen thousand would be a great plenty; at three months old five or six thousand is an outside number for the trough.

The total output of fish of all kinds for the year ending September 30th, 1895, exceeds by over fifty-five million the output of any former year in the history of the State. The great increase in numbers has been among the food fish, such as the white fish, frost fish, tomcods, smelts, ciscoes and pike-perch.

Up to the present time the State of New York had no collection of specimens of the different food fishes found in its borders, but we are now collecting specimens. Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, who for years was the ichthyologist of the United States Fish Commission, but at present Director of the New York Aquarium, has kindly consented to identify without expense to the Commission, all specimens, which we shall preserve, so that in our future work of hatching we may work intelligently. As this collection increases, I am sure that the trifling expense attached to it will be lost sight of when we look at the benefits to be derived from having such a collection.

I am also making a collection of the different fish eggs which are hatched artificially by the Commission, and I am making tables giving as near as possible the number of each kind of eggs to the lineal inch and to the quart, as I have found the tendency in the

Caught in Caledonia Creek, on which the State Hatchery of same name is situated. more than twelve years old.

These fish were not