122 



MILNE HOME " *^ at ^ey P resente d a wea &y ana * sickly appearance when first captured, 



' " their bodies being covered Tn many instances with sores, which when the 



" surface was removed, presented the appearance of prout flesh formed in 

 " wounds, and that a growth like fungus rapidy spread over the bodies of the 

 " fish, quickly causing them to die. This fungoid growth upon the bodies of 

 " fish is of no uncommon occurrence, where abrasions of the skin are made 

 " either in netting them or in rough coarse handling. Afterwards, a parasitic 

 " growth sets in, which in close confined limits, or in small supplies of fresh 

 " water, spreads over the body of the fish very rapidly, causing extreme weak- 

 " ness, and finally death. 



" Another malady is found among fish, particularly when they are far 

 " advanced in pregnancy, in the caking and solidification of the ovaries, by the 

 " stoppage of the fluids through the small membranes by which the eggs are 

 " connected together and fed previous to their maturity. From the observa- 

 " tions I have made as to the cause of this disease, I am of opinion, that it is 

 " brought about by the close confinement of too many fish within small circum- 

 " scribed limits, in which they are unable to roam about and partake of 

 " ' sufficient freedom and exercise of body, thus preventing the healthy circu- 

 " ' lation of the natural functions so requisite at this critical period, the 

 " 'spawning season.' (Page 64.) 



" ' During their sojourn in the pond, let it be for either a long or a short 

 " ' period, the fish nether take nor require food of any kind for their sustenance. 

 " ' It is now a well known fact in ichthyology, that salmon eat nothing on their 

 " 'migration up rivers to their spawning grounds, after leaving the tidal or salt 

 " 'waters of the sea.' (Page 65.) 



" Mr. Wilmot explains pretty fully his opinion, that the pond into which 

 " about 300 salmon had been put, was only large enough to hold 100 salmon 

 " in health ; and that this confinement ' produced the effect of sickness, 

 " ' disease, fungoid growth, and caking or hardening of the ovaries of the fish, 

 " ' and consequent death of the numbers, reported. This view is sustained by 

 " ' Mr. Venning's statement, that the eggs were hardened in about 300 salmon 

 " ' that died.' (Page 67.) 



" In the report for the year 18/8 there is a letter, dated 31st December 1878, 

 " by Mr. Parker, a fishery superintendent, who was desired to investigate the 

 " cause of deaths among the salmon kept at Miramichi's hatchery. He states 

 " in reference to the deaths which occurred, after the fish had been placed in 

 " the reception pond, that some persons attribute it 'to the badness of the 

 " ' water. From this opinion I differ, as I consider it is from the way the fish 

 " ' are handled during their conveyance to the pond. The fish were drawn up 

 " ' with a horse and stick, and the fish were lying partly dry and knocked 

 " ' about on the rough-made cribs they use for transporting them. Conse- 

 " ' quently the fish get badly bruised before reaching the pond. When they 

 " ' thus get injured, a growth of fungus begins upon the bruises, and under 

 " ' these conditions, the fish soon sicken and die. ' " (Page 355.) 



In the report of 1877, some remarks are made as to the changes which 

 have taken place in the state of the rivers, unfavourable to the health of 

 salmon. Mr. Samuel Wilmot, the Superintendent of the Fish Breeding 

 Establishments, in his letter to the Minister of State at the head of the 

 Fishery Department, in a letter dated 31st December 1877, observes that : — 



" ' The Detroit River, though to outward appearance, indicating purity, is 

 " ' nevertheless, at times very largely filled with earthy and decomposed vege- 

 " ' table matter. This injurious fungoid-looking substance, being in the lakes 

 " ' above, and storm-stirred to the surface, is brought down by the current of 

 " ' the river in the most inconceivable quantities. These extremely minute 

 " ' spores permeate through every description of screen through which the 

 " ' water will pass, and lodging upon the eggs, when in a quiet state on the 

 " ' ordinary hatching tray, commences its insidious byssus-like growth, which, 

 " ' unless quickly removed by the process (known in fish-cultures) of feathering 

 '• ' and washing, soon grasps in its poisonous meshes the adjoining eggs ar 

 " ' produces deadly havoc amongst them.' (Page 12.) 



" ' The river has become thoroughly changed from its normal state, v 

 " ' salmon in the olden times so largely frequented it, for spawning pur 

 " ' Then it was simply supplied with a flow of fine, cold, limpid wate - 

 " ' forest from the source of the stream, all the way to its outlet into 



