FISHES AND FTSiriNO IN SUNAPE?: l.AKE. 37 



the IStli there was a lieavy downiumr of rain. The following]: morn- 

 iuff tlie net contained IS yount; cliinooks, which <?ives some support 

 to the i(k^a that these younfij fish enter the hike after a lieavy rain. 



Subsequently lar»;er ininibei-s were found in the net, but the num- 

 ber at any time re]>resented but a small ]K)rtion of those that had 

 been phinted, even in the last deposit. 



Durinjj; the spring and summer the stomachs of youn<; cliinooks 

 of the brooks were examined in order to ascertain the character and 

 (|uantity of food. One taken April 17, 1910, contained caddis larvae 

 and a lot of smelt eggs. During August, 1911, young taken in the 

 fyke net contained small insects, mostly Diptera. 



Having examined the shore water of the lake and the water of 

 various parts of the brooks in regard to food supply for young salmon, 

 it was decided that the brooks, especially Pike Brook, were preferable 

 to the lake for the purpose of planting 3^oung salmon, not only on 

 account of the greater food supply of the brooks but their com- 

 parative freedom from enemies. That there were some enemies, 

 even in the brooks, was evident. At one tim-e two kingfishers were 

 observed industriouslj^ catching small fish, presumably j'oung salmon, 

 just above the dead water. On two occasions some trout were 

 opened and found to have been feeding upon recently planted 

 cliinooks. One 10-mch trout contained six salmon in various stages 

 of digestion. 



Silver Salmox {Oncorhynclius lisutch) . 



The silver sabnon, known in Alaska as "coho," has its geographical 

 range from San Francisco probably to the Yukon and on the Asiatic 

 coast south to Japan. It reaches a weight of 15 pounds and averages 

 ])erhaps S or 9 pounds. It is especially abundant in Puget Sound, 

 where it is frequently caught by trolling, and it is stated that these fisli 

 take herring bait the year round in Puget Sound and bays of Alaska, 

 and on the offshore banks. 



The silver salmon ascends streams, but not so far as some cliinooks, 

 and the breeding runs are later in the season. Like the chinook, 

 uH die after the breeding function is performed. 



The adult fish sul)sists largely upon other fishes, particularly those 

 that swuu in schools, such as the herring, smelts, sand launces, etc. 

 In fresh water the yoimg up to the lingerling stage feed mainly upon 

 insects and the aquatic larvae of insects, and fingerlings have been 

 found containing small fishes and fish eggs. Yearlings in salt water 

 also subsist largely upon smaller fishes. 



It is a good food fish, for packing ranking tliird of the five species 

 of the genus Oncorhynchus. It is also a gamy fighter, but does not 

 excel the eastern landlocked sabnon. As it is a voracious fish eater, 

 nothing can be gained by its introduction into Sunapee Lake. 



