The University Library has recently received from D. B. Fearing '82 a large collection of books on angling and fishing. Starting with only a scrapbook on trout and trout and trout-fishing, the collection grew to some 12,000 volumes, including treatise on all sorts of fishing, and even whaling. The most valuable single volume is a first edition of Izaak Walton's "The Compleat Angle," copies of which have sold for more than $6,000. The library is also the most complete in the world in official documents of all countries on fishing. Mr. Fearing himself describes this collection in detail in the current issue of the Graduates Magazine, as follows:

"The library books on angling, fishing, fisheries, and fish-culture, now numbering 12,000 volumes and pamphlets in 20 different languages, has its start in 1890 in the form of a scrapbook on trout and trout-fishing. From that scrapbook began the collection of books entirely on trout and trout-fishing; then there were added books with chapters on those subjects and so no until the four heads mentioned above were gradually drawn in and the library began to grow."

The library has two copies of the most valuable and important book ever written on fishing, the first edition of Izaak Walton's "The Compleat Angler." Copies of this first edition, which at the time of publication sold for 18 pence were worth $60 in 1847 and in 1889 their value has risen to $225. The high-wate mark was reached in 1907, however, when one of these first editions sold for $6,450. The library also contains a Flemish work published in 1492, which is the earliest known treatise on fishing. the original manuscript of the English translation, together with corrected proofs, are also contained in the collection.

George Washington was a keen angler and a pamphlet by Dr. George H. Moore "Washington as an Angler," may be seen in the library in special edition extra--illustrated by the insertion of the manuscript inscription of the presentation from the author, many portraits of Washington, and fine autograph letter signed by Washington. Grover Cleveland was also a keen fisherman and wrote a very clever little brochure "A Defense of Fishermen." Only 20 of these were issued and the library's copy was presented by the author with a charming autograph letter. John Qincy Adams, De Witt Clinton, and Daniel Webster were enthusiastic fisherman in their time.

The library is especially rich in illustrated book on all the different phases of fishing, including even whaling. The collection is the most complete in the world in English, French, Danish, Dutch German Italian, Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish official documents on fishing. It also contains practically all the official documents ever published by the United Sates on the subject.