BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 207 



tliGui. As I had no more of tliese fish to ^ive tliem, I commenced to 

 throw earthworms iuto the i)ond. Two to three times a week I had a 

 grand feeding-time, and convinced myself that the new food was eagerly 

 taken by the trout. With the same relish tliej' devoured small grass- 

 hoppers, gnats, caterpillars, &c. I am now able to explain how it came 

 that 1 occasionally found early in the morning one of my little fish out- 

 side the pond; it had too eagerly chased insects fijing over the water 

 and leaped out of the water upon the bank. 



When the cold season set in, I made an attempt to feed my fish with 

 meat chopped fine, but it invariably remained on the bottom untouched. 

 Possibly this was caused by the diminished voracity of the fish, result- 

 ing from the winter season. 



In January, 188-1, I again noticed the Phoximis Iccvis. Nearly all of 

 them returned; and I must presume that the brook trout does not chase 

 fish, as both kinds offish live, up to date, together in perfect i)eaceand 

 harmony. The Phoxinus Ucvis had grown considerably, and I began to 

 throw little pieces of soaked bread to them. After a few hours these 

 had disappeared; and I think I have occasionally seen the trout snap 

 after this food. 



In the summer of 1885 most of my trout had reached a length of 20 

 to 25 centimeters [about 9 inches]. About one-third of them had not 

 grown so long ; these were the ones which always came too late, when 

 I threw food in the pond, and had to satisfy their hunger with some of 

 the bread. Similar observations were made relative to the little fish 

 which had been placed in the pond near St. Prex; only they remained 

 smaller, because no food was thrown to them. 



On the whole, I am very well satisfied with the growth of these fish. 

 As, moreover, they are easily satisfied (my pond was often supplied 

 with very little water, and was frequently polluted by rain-water) and 

 manage to live on all sorts of animalcules, I think I can reconnneud them 

 for many of our waters. In clear brooks, which contain a good many 

 Gammarus rocseUi and larvae of insects, the American fish is found to 

 be less predaceous than our brook trout ; and as to its growth and the 

 delicacy of its flavor, it is fully the equal of our trout. In my opinion, 

 and after repeated trials, the American brook trout is in every way the 

 equal of the char from the Lake of Zng, which enjoys a high rejnitation 

 as a table fish. 



The American brook trout is a genuine "Saibling," and can therefore 

 justly be classed with the genus Salmo. We find in it the os vomerin the 

 upper jaw, only with teeth in front, just as in the Zug char. Its body 

 is thick-set, the snout short, and the color something like that of our 

 char. The back and sides have a dark-green ground color; the belly 

 has a beautiful rosy color, with a slight admixture of orange. On the 

 sides there are numerous very bright red, white, and yellowish-wliite 

 spots. The brownish-yellow dorsal fin has some intensely black streaks. 

 The ventral, pectoral, and anal fins have a deep red color, and have a 



