40 Fish and GaMe Warden. [Bull. No. 1. 



in real air if they are kept moist. Fish fi'equently die in 

 shallow ponds during the hot summer time for the want of 

 air during periods when the wind does not blow; during such 

 times the water is not agitated and the air supply of the water 

 becomes exhausted. 



The condition of the water, whether clear, muddy or tainted 

 with some chemical or deleterious substance, and the changes 

 to which it may be subjected during the year, should be con- 

 sidered in its relation to any particular kind of fish that is 

 to be reared in it. 



FOOD SUPPLY SHOULD BE KNOWN. 



Another all-important thing that should be known in con- 

 nection with the fish-culture business is the amount of food 

 supply that the water contains for any given kind of fish. 

 Of course, much depends upon the kind of fish placed in the 

 pond, whether they are vegetable feeders, whether they live 

 upon both vegetable and animal life, or for the most part or 

 wholly upon animal life. The food supply for fishes will be 

 discussed in Part III (Pond Fish Culture), where this subject 

 in its relation to the rearing of fishes will be considered. 



When the ponds and lakes are being stocked, the purpose 

 for which the fish are being reared must also be taken into 

 account : whether for sport — the pleasure of angling being 

 one of the chief objects — or whether for food, the family table 

 and the market value of the fish being the chief factors under 

 consideration. The pond owner may have both ideas in 

 mind, desiring to produce fish for both the pleasure and the 

 profit of the business. Just what one may be able to do will 

 depend upon a number of things, some of which we hope to 

 explain in this Bulletin. 



POND FISH FOR KANSAS WATERS. 



It is very doubtful if any fish will ever be found that are 

 more satisfactory and better adapted to the conditions and 

 environments of Kansas waters than some of the kinds native 

 to our own state. With few exceptions, the Kansas Depart- 

 ment of Fish and Game will recommend for the stocking of 

 Kansas streams and ponds som' if the well-known species 

 and varieties of Catfishes, Bas«.., Crappies and Sunfishes, 

 types known to be indigenous to the waters of this part of 

 the country. It is hoped that most of these, at least the best 

 varieties of them, can with some intelligent care be made to 

 adapt themselves to the conditions of Kansas pond fish life. 

 The diff"erent kinds recommended for pond fish culture will 

 be treated separately. 



We hope in the near future to carry on some experiments 

 here at the Hatchery in order to determine more exactly 

 just what can be done with certain kinds and varieties of fish 

 in ponds, and to find out something more than seems to be at 



