BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 275 



Saint Stephen, March 1, 1880. 

 Prof. Spencer F. Baird, 



U. 8. Commissioner Fish and Fisheries : 



Dear Sir: I send you remarks in relation to the Restigonclie and 

 Saint Croix Rivers, which, though crude, I am sure are quite correct, as 

 they are either taken from the official statistics, or are facts of which I 

 am myself cognizant. You may, if of use, publish any part of them. 

 I very much wish wo could procure some young shad for the Saint 

 Croix; this fish was once very abundant, and perhaps would be again 

 if introduced. I know you have been very successful in restocking 

 the Connecticut. Our old people deplore the loss of the shad — saj^ it 

 was a much better food-fish than the salmon. I do a great deal of 

 shooting, and am much interested in ornithology, and specimens of our 

 birds that you might want I should be happy to lookout for ; do a good 

 deal of coast shooting winters ; have been hopefully looking for a Lab- 

 rador diich for a number of seasons — fear they have totally disappeared. 



I have nice spring- water conducted to my house and think of doing 



a little fish-hatching in a small way. The amount of water I can spare 



is a stream of about half-inch diameter; the force will be considerable, 



as the water rises to top of my house, some 50 feet above where I should 



set trays. I write to you to ask what hatching api^aratus Avould be 



best to get, where to buj^, and probable cost. I am trying to get some 



sea-trout ova to hatch in it. I presume all your California ova have been 



disposed of ere this. 



FEANK TODD. 



Saint Stephen. March 1, 1880. 

 Prof. Spencer F. Baird, 



U. S. Commissioner Fish and Fisheries : 

 Sir : In regard to the Saint Croix, would say, that it was once one 

 of the most prolific salmon rivers in New Brunswick, but owing to the 

 erection of imi)assable dams, fifteen or twenty years ago, this valuable 

 fish had almost entirelj disax)peared. At about this time fishways were 

 placed in all the dams, and gradully salmon began to increase, but the 

 first great stimulus was given some ten years ago by the distribution of 

 some hundreds of thousands of young salmon in the headwaters, by the 

 fishery commissioners of Maine. The Dobsis Club also placed in the 

 Saint Croix some 200,000 or more from their hatchery, a portion being 

 the California salmon. With these exceptions our river has had no arti- 

 ficial aid, bnt for the last five years the number of salmon has largely 

 increased, due mainly, no doubt, to the deposits before mentioned. The 

 fish ways are generally in good condition (although some improvements 

 will be made), and fish have easy access to headwaters. That large 

 numbers go up and spawn is evidenced hj the large numbers of smolt 

 seen at the head of tidal water in the spring, many being taken by boys 

 with the rod. I have reason to expect that our government will hereafter 



