BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 243 



to permit the importation of the designated fish, for the purpose stated, 

 free of duty, and that you will give this matter attention at your ear- 

 liest convenience, considering that but a few weeks intervene now, and 

 if not passed upon before the 1st of July, it will seriously affect the  

 interests and welfare of these communities. 

 Eastport, Me., May 28, 1885. 



60.— YOUJVCJ TROUT DESTROYED BY MOSQUITOES. 



By C. H. MURRAY. 



[From a letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



In the middle or latter part of June, 1882, I was prospecting on the 

 head-waters of the Tumichie Creek, in the Gunnison Valley, Colorado. 

 About 9 o'clock in the morning I sat down in the shade of some willows 

 that skirted a clear but shallow place in the creek. In a quiet part of 

 the water where their movements were readily discernible, were some 

 fresh-hatched brook or mountain trout, and circling about over- the 

 water was a small swarm of mosquitoes. The trout were very young, 

 still having the pellucid sack puffing out from the region of the gills, 

 with the rest of the body aiinost transparent wben they would swim 

 into a portion of the water that was lighted up by direct sunshine. 

 Every few minutes these baby trout — for what purpose I do not know, 

 unless to get the benefit of more air — would come to the surface of the 

 water, so that the top of the head was level with the surface of the 

 water. When this was the case a mosquito would light down and im- 

 mediately transfix the trout by inserting its proboscis, or bill, into the 

 brain of the fish, which seemed incapable of escaping. The mosquito 

 would hold its victim steady until it had extracted all the life juices, 

 and when this was accomplished, and it would fly away, the dead 

 trout would turn over on its back and float down the stream. I was so 

 interested in this before unheard-of destruction of fish that I watched 

 the depredations of these mosquitoes for more than half an hour, and 

 in that time over twenty trout were sucked dry and their lifeless bodies 

 sent floating away with the current. It was the only occasion when I 

 was ever witness to the fact, and I have been unable by inquiry to as- 

 certain if others have observed a similar destruction of fish. I am sure 

 the fish were trout, as the locality was quite near the snow line, and tbe 

 water was very cold, and no other fish were in the stream at that altitude. 

 From this observation I am satisfied that great numbers of trout, and 

 perhaps infant fish of other varieties in clear waters, must come to tbeir 

 death in this way ; and if the fact has not been heretofore recorded it 

 is important to those interested in fish-culture. 

 Denver, Colo., July 22, 1885. 



