4 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



the merest tyro. It has been brought to our attention continually dur- 

 ing the past season that such large catches of trout have been unknown 

 for years, and the fish averaging good size. Of course, nature has 

 helped us very materially in this i;egard ; the continued high water in 

 the brooks and ponds during the summer and fall, and mild winters for 

 the last few years, has been a very important factor. 



The Commissioners have come to the conclusion to hereafter put in 

 yearling trout instead of fry ; the expense will not be much greater, 

 and actual results can be seen and benefits received sooner. 



Through the courtesy of Col. M. McDonald, the State is to receive 

 ten thousand (10,000) land locked salmon eggs, as well as ten thousand 

 (10,000) Penobscot salmon eggs. These will be distributed in the 

 various waters of the State suited to them, with the mere expense to 

 the State of hatching and planting. 



The Commissioners have been informed of young salmon "Parr" 

 being taken by parties fishing for trout, which shows that they thrive in 

 our waters. These were undoubtedly a part of those put in by us last 

 year. 



The Governor and Council of the State of New Hampshire have 

 kindly donated twenty thousand (20,000)_lake trout eggs. These were 

 obtained through the generous efforts of Col. E. B. Hodge, Fish Com- 

 missioner, and as he says in his letter to us were " obtained from trout 

 weighing from ten to twenty pounds," we hope to obtain good results 

 from them. 



The Sea Fisheries of this State must ever be, as in the past, of 

 great interest. We regret that we have not better means of procuring 

 correct and complete statistical data. We give such as we have been 

 enabled to procure at this time, trusting that in our next report we 

 shall be able to give much more in this line, believing it to be of the 

 greatest value in arriving at an intelligent understanding of the subject. 



Most of the changes in our fisheries are phenomenal, the fluctuations' 

 in numbers are beyond calculation from any known data, and so varied 

 from unknown causes, that it is useless to estimate the future from ob- 

 servation of the past. Especially is this true of the anadromous fishes 



