FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 5 



the country from the north side of First Connecticut Lake down 

 to the Vermont line has long been cleared and affords good farms, 

 especially in the bottom lands of the river and its prinicpal tribu- 

 taries. The remainder of the region is a vast forest extending north 

 beyond the Canadian border, east far into Maine, and southward 

 for many miles. The principal trees are spruce, fir, birches, and 

 maples. 



Lumbering operations formerly carried on here have been aban- 

 doned. But the dams and abutments that were built and the ojd 

 log jams remain and have had a marked effect upon the conditions 

 of the lakes and streams, and consequentlv upon their fauna and 

 flora. 



Regarding these lakes the state commissioners about ten years ago 

 reported as follows : " 



The most northerly lakes in our State are the Connecticut Lakes. Within 

 the last ten years they have become a famous resort for both the hunter and 

 fisherman, the forests around them abounding in large game and their \Yaters 

 with both lake and speckled trout. Until quite recently it has not been deemed 

 necessary to introduce into these waters any of the fry from our hatcheries, 

 except some landlocked salmon, which were planted there by the commission 

 in the days of the accomplished and genial Col. Sam Webber; and we are 

 happy to state that within the last two years these lordly fish (which we be- 

 lieve will eventually become the most popular fish in the State) have come for- 

 ward in considerable numbers and borne testimony to the wisdom and foresight 

 of the aforesaid Colonel Webber. The late Colonel Hodge also planted 25,000 

 salmon in the tributaries of the First Connecticut Lake in the spring of 1892. 

 The present commission, in view of the drain which is being made upon these 

 waters by the numerous fishermen resorting thereto, are planting them with 

 lake ti'out fry, of the New Found Lake variety, in large quantities; and it is 

 our intention when we make our next distribution of fry to place in these 

 waters, in addition to their quota of lake trout, a fair supply of brook trout 

 and landlocked salmon, together with a quantity of fresh-water smelt as a food 

 supply. 



The principal waters of this region that came within the scope of 

 our investigations, besides the three Connecticut Lakes, were their 

 connecting and tributary streams and ponds and Indian and Perry 

 streams. A brief general description of each follows. 



Indian Stream.—This stream, which joins the Connecticut Eiver 

 about 13 miles below First Lake, has a very ramified source in the 

 northern part of the state, its ultimate headwaters being on the 

 Canadian boundary. Many of its uppermost branches are exceed- 

 ingly close to streams flowing into the St. Francis River, which joins 

 the St. Lawrence in " Lake St. Peter." Its course lies almost parallel 



Report of the Fish and Game Commission of New Hampshire to the Gov- 

 ernor and Council, December, 1894. 



