104 KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



the eggs of the other species. Not only would spent fish follow up the 

 spawning fish and eat their eggs, but gravid females were found to do 

 the same thing. The breeding times of the common white-fish and 

 Stanley's white-fish were supposed to overlap because the species were 

 ca])tured together, but it appears that the earlier spawner {C. stan- 

 leyi) was probably there at this time mostly for the eggs of the common 

 white-fish. 



In this locality there are no coiimiercial fisheries, but occasionally 

 the native French inhabitants are allowed to net the white-fish under 

 restrictions. The fishing as now regulated is chiefly important to the 

 sportsman, but the abundance of the white-fish in a lake system of 

 such extent suggests a possible commercial fishery under proper regu- 

 lations, which would aflford to the inhabitants of Aroostook County 

 at least a delicious fish for the table, both fresh and cured. A limited 

 net fishery, restricted to the summer months and to certain localities, 

 would do no more damage, if as much as is done by fishing on the 

 spawning beds, which is now permitted. 



Union River hasin^ in Hancock County. — In August and early Sep- 

 tember the Union River basin was visited and the general fish fauna 

 of the region, especially Green Lake, Branch and Floods ponds, was 

 investigated. Attempts were made to secure specimens of the Floods 

 Pond saibling, locally known as silver trout, supposed to be Salvelinus 

 aureolus^ but without success, although various methods were tried. 

 In June, 1904, however, another visit was made to Floods Pond, and 

 a good collection of this fish was secured. From information fur- 

 nished bj^ reliable men and from observation, it appears that the silver 

 trout is very much scarcer than formerly, and the fish now caught are 

 not so large. There seem to be but a few weeks in May and June 

 when they Avill take a hook. The usual method of fishing is by hand 

 line in from 30 to 40 feet of water on the outer edge of a reef, the best 

 bait, as a rule, being cut chub and fresh, uncooked lobster, though 

 occasionally a fish is taken at or near the surface or in deep water on 

 a troll, and by live minnow or worm bait. This trout is a rich, fat, 

 and delicious fish at this time of ^-ear. 



The stomachs of the specimens examined this season usually con- 

 tained small smelts. Many were infested with small tapeworms, large 

 numbers often being found in the alimentary tract of a single fish. 



JRainljoiv Lake^ in Piscataquis County. — ^The Bureau having received 

 two specimens of a peculiar trout from Rainbow Lake, closely related 

 to if not identical with the so-called silver trout of the Union River 

 basin, though of a smaller size, it was considered desirable to visit the 

 locality in an effort to obtain more and better specimens and to make 

 a study of the lake and its inhabitants. 



Although quite large, being about 7 miles long by 2 or more miles 

 in extreme width, and fairly deep in places, Rainbow Lake has a very 



