^ 748 [Assembly 



annihilated. Laws are plenary in their stringency and severity, 

 but are not adequately enforced. Even now, in many lakes the 

 most exposed to such ravages, these fish are nearly extirpated. 



The deep injury which results from this barbarism, is partially 

 remedied, by the introduction, into several of these lakes, of 

 other varieties of fish, more prolific in their nature or less exposed 

 by their cautious habits, to these depredations. The pickerel of 

 I^ake Champlain, ranks among the inferior classes of the fish of 

 that lake ; but when transferred to the cold and clear spring 

 waters of the mountain hikes, and to the indulgence of novel and 

 abundant food, its whole properties become changed. It is then 

 as hard fleshed and high flavored, and almost as delicate as the 

 salmon trout. By their vast fecundity and rapid growth, they 

 tlrrong in an incredibly short period, the waters into which they 

 are introduced, and every contiguous stream. 



A striking and very curious dilTerence occurs in the character 

 of the fish occupying lakes which lie in close proximity. One- 

 body of water, in its primitive condition, is filled to exuberance 

 with the choicest trout ; whilst another, situated in the same lofty 

 valley, fed by the same mountain springs, and mingling its waters 

 in the same stream with the former, is destitute of every variety of 

 fish, except the hardier and coarser kinds. At periods, when these 

 latter lakes are extremely lovf, myriads ot the dead bodies of the 

 fish which occupy them, are found floating upon the surface of 

 the water. These facts, well established, attracted my attention 

 as interesting in tlie physiology of these creatures, and an impor- 

 tant feature in Natural History. The result of my examinations 

 of the subject, is conclusive to my mind, that this effect is pro- 

 duced by foreign and noxious substances impregnating the waters. 

 On inspection, I discovered in every instance, where the phe- 

 nomenon occurs, the presence of native copperas, other sulphates, 

 and incidentally arsenic largely developed in deposits within the 

 surging of the water, or in its immediate vicinity. 



Forests. — The forest of this region afforded to the early settler 

 a ready and available occupation, and it still remains a most im- 

 portant element in the business and prosperity of the country. 

 When the wilderness was penetrated, and the forest fell before 



