60 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



brook-trout at different ages, was aftbrded at Mr. H. P. Dousman's 

 liatcliing-liouse at Waterville, Wis. 



There is a more uneven growth in the trout of tlie same season than 

 among any of our familiar domestic animals, such as sheep, pigs, or 

 chickens. 



Mr. Dousman's fish of the season, hatched in January and February, 

 measured at the time of my visit, October 25, from two and one-half to 

 five inches in length 5 while his trout of the previous season, about 

 one year and eight months old, were from seven to fourteen inches in 

 length. 



Mr. Dousman is a large feeder, supplying his fish with food regularly 

 twice a day throughout the year. He has the most perfect arrangements 

 for keeping his fish of diiferent ages separate, as there is no possibility of 

 their getting together other than being dipped out of one of the box- 

 flumes in which they are separately confined and dropped through the 

 trap-door of another. 



The same great variation is found to occur in the parr and grilse stage 

 of the salmon, and is probably the case with all the species of the Sal- 

 monoidw at all ag'es, the lake white-fishes included. 



(22 i.) Average size of mature fishes. — The average size of mature fishes, 

 in difierent localities, varies greatly. The white-fish of the region of 

 the Apostle Islands is a medium-sized fish. The entire catch of the nu- 

 merous fisheries in their vicinity should not be estimated higher than 

 one and a half pounds for all the fish marketed. 



In Thunder Bay, on the northern shore of tlie lake, a lift seen in 

 October contained fish that averaged about the same as at the Apostle 

 Islands. 



Mr. George Baruston, of IMontreal, a naturalist, connected in former 

 times with the Hudson Bay Company, says, with reference to the white- 

 fishes of Michipicoten Bay and River : " The produce of our own seines 

 and nets I always regarded as composed of one species of white-fish, 

 and the same as that caught everywhere in the lakes." 

 w A large type of white-fish is reported from localities in the western 

 half of Lake Superior, taken at certain seasons. Mr. E. Alvord, of San- 

 dusky, Ohio, took a white-fish at Madeline Island, one of the Apostle 

 Islands, weighing twenty-two pounds and a half. Stories, not well 

 authenticated, of specimens weighing twenty -four j^ounds and over, are 

 common on Lake Superior. 



In White-Fisli Bay a type of white-fish is taken, said to average very 

 large. A specimen was forwarded to Buflialo from this locality, this sea- 

 son, weighing twenty pounds. 



In Bachewauna Bay, opposite AYhite-Fish Point, Mr. Baruston speaks 

 of the white-fish as longer, and much thicker and heavier, than those of 

 Michipicoten. 



At the foot of the Sault Ste. Marie Rapids the Indians fish in the swift 

 current, from birch canoes, with large dip-nets, taking a type of white- 



