REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXIX 



During the winter 50,000 rainbow-trout eggs were received from 

 Wytheville. These were hatched, and on April 23 there were on hand 

 21.200 fry. In addition to these, 81,300 rainbow-trout fry were trans- 

 ferred from Wytheville during the month of April and held in troughs 

 until June 7, when they were transferred to ponds, and were found by 

 actual count to have been reduced to 51,899. There remained on hand 

 at that time, from all sources, 73,099. At the close of the year all of 

 the fish were doing well, though those transferred from Wytheville 

 were much smaller than the station fish. It is believed that a consid- 

 erable number of the fry were destroyed by snakes. As soon as their 

 presence was suspected a temporary fence was placed around the ponds; 

 in a week 5 water-snakes had been killed, and over 100 were killed 

 during the year. 



Much difficulty was experienced during the winter in procuring a 

 sufficient amount of suitable food. All of the beef liver available in 

 Erwin and Johnson City was purchased at prices varying from 5 to 8 

 cents per pound, but the supply was uncertain, and in April arrange- 

 ments were made for securing regular supplies from Armour & Co. in 

 Norfolk, Va. Whenever the shipments failed a mush, consisting of flour, 

 eggs, sorghum, water, and salt, was used. 



In the coldest weather, with snow and ice on the ground, the air 

 was swarming with mosquito-like insects. There are also myriads of 

 aquatic worms on all objects in the water here, and several varieties 

 of Gammarus were seen in the supply ditch when the loose mud was 

 being thrown out, though none have been noted in the ponds. Snails 

 are exceedingly abundant, and the trout seem to feed on them; as they 

 reproduce at an enormously rapid rate, there will probably always be 

 plenty of food of this character. 



The principal aquatic plant known in this region is the so-called branch 

 lettuce, which spreads its roots under the shallow water or in wet mud. 

 This remains green throughout the winter. During the cold season 

 its leaves lie flat on the water, like lily pads, but in summer the seed 

 stalks rise to the height of 2 feet. The submerged leaves and branches 

 serve as nurseries for periwinkle and other lesser forms of animal life. 

 Quantities of wood or leaf mold were used for the purpose of disinfect- 

 ing the ponds and establishing natural conditions. In order to pro. 

 cure natural food for the larger fish a lantern with metal wings, to lure 

 beetles and moths, was placed in the pond; striking the metal walls, 

 the insects fall upon tbe water and become an easy prey for the trout. 

 While the supply of food thus derived lias not been great, better results 

 are looked for during the summer and fall, when such insects will be 

 very plentiful. When the water was turned on in the temporary pond 

 built in the bed of the branch, which had been Hned with mud, myriads 

 of jointed red worms, about half an inch in length, were seen at the 

 bottom, massed together here and there. 



The temperature of the water in the spring is 55° throughout the 

 year. In the ponds there is a variation of from 55° at the bottom to 



