SAPROLEGNIA FERAX, SALMON DISEASE. 143 



tion with the result of personal observation and 

 inquiries made at the river-side, I have formed 

 certain opinions which I venture to offer for general 

 consideration. 



In the first place, although it may seem to be of 

 minor importance, the use of the term " Salmon 

 disease," as an alias for " Saprolegnia," is misleading. 

 For it is well known that not alone salmon, but also 

 coarse fish and even minnows are often affected with 

 this disease. If it could be proved that saprolegnia 

 always originated with the salmon and was commu- 

 nicated by it to other kinds of fish, there would be 

 some justification for the present use of the term, but 

 until this proof has been supplied it would be well 

 to avoid what is really a mischievous misnomer. 



Although it is not known when this disease first 

 made its appearance, all seem to agree that it is of 

 long standing. In my younger days, very little was 

 heard about it, and I think it may be assumed that 

 the mortality among fish affected with saprolegnia in 

 those days was very slight in comparison to what it 



