52 



EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



took a boat with two men and dredged in the river, obtaining a quan- 

 tity of white-lisli eggs. Nearly all were dead. Afterwards dipped a 

 quantity from the pond, nearly all of which were dead. 



Novemher 20. — Made another visit to the island. No white-fish seen 

 in the pond. Cold, freezing weather. 



On the 24th and 25th of the month, while at Sandusky, Ohio, numbers 

 of white-fish were found with the spawn in different stages of ripeness? 

 though a majority of them had spawned. 



After spawning, the abdomen of the female fish is somewhat flabby 

 and wrinkled, and the fish is undoubtedly relaxed and weak; but not 

 to the extent that the salmon, as well as certain other species of the 

 Coregoni, are said to be reduced. The male shows but little indication 



of weakness. 



A series of ovaries were preserved from fishes of different sizes, and a 

 count made by weighing the entire ovaries and then counting the eggs 

 of a definite fraction, and calculatiug from it the number of. the whole. 

 Accurate scales were used for this work, and the table may be relied 

 upon as correct : 



Weisiht of fish. 



2 pounds. 

 2f pounds 

 4 pounds 

 7^ pounds 



This makes an average of about ten thousand increase for every ad- 

 ditional pound weight in the fish, which is precisely Mr. Seth Green's 

 estimate, from his observations in spawning white-fish. Considerable 

 variation in the weight of an equal number of eggs was observed, de- 

 I)euding upon the stage of development at which they had arrived in 

 the ovaries. 



During the spawning-season, the fish from the river were found to 

 have very little in their stomachs. 



(22 e.) Habits of hroolc-trout during the breeding-season as compared icith 

 those of the ichite-Jish. 



A comparison of the habits of the male and female white-fish with 

 those of the trout, Salmo fontinalis, and of the salmon, is interesting, 

 from the entire difference of their conduct toward each other, and the 

 manner of depositing the spawn. 



The male brook-trout, in his behavior to his mate, is a cavalier of the 

 first order. His colors are at their brightest, and his fresh and bright 

 appearance makes him one of the handsomest inhabitants of the north- 

 ern waters. Instead of driving the female and annoying her with a per- 

 sistent worrying, as is the case with the white-fish, his whole wooing is 



