48 



large worm were it not for its very small eyes, and fin which commences 

 near the middle of the back, passes I'ound the tail and terminates at the 

 vent. It likes muddy sluggish streams and may be found under stones 

 and sunken logs. Its length is from 3 to 5 inches. 



Such is a brief sketch of the fish of this vicinity as far as observed. 

 As our waters may get more polluted in the course of time from popu- 

 lation increasing, or from factories discharging their refuse into 

 them, certain fish now found here may become extinct, and it would be 

 curious to know the cause and the time of such an event. Fish culti- 

 vation might be profitably carried on in this district, especially that of 

 Bass, Dore, Maskinonge, and the European Carp, which is now largely 

 introduced into the United States. From experiments made during the 

 past few years at Campbell's Bay, it has been proved that waters along 

 the Ottawa, from which sawdust and mill rubbish are excluded, can be 

 utilized for breeding and rearing fish to an unlimited extent. I am 

 informed that many of the bass now in that bay were brought from the 

 Bay of Quinte, or from the Ottawa lakes, IMaskinonge from Rice Lake, 

 and Dore from the Detroit River and from Lake Huron. Campbell's 

 Bay being too limited for more than experimental purposes, a series 

 of ponds in some central part of the Ottawa River would be more desir- 

 able, if it ever were deemed worthy to utilize for public use the surplus 

 of fish thus cultivated. Nature seems to have provided for this at the 

 Paiker Islands, below Thurso, where with a little outlay separate ponds 

 for separate varieties could be kept apart and under thoi'ough control. In 

 fact Mr. VVhitcher feuggests that an establishment of the kind would be 

 highly interesting to the public, an 1 as these islands are capable of being 

 laid out into recreation grounds, with walks amidst their shade trees 

 and around their ponds, a natural park easy of access to our citizens by 

 water could be established where the observation of pisciculture could be 

 carried on, and from whose ponds the market supply of the poor but 

 industrious fisherman, who make now but a scant livelihood from the 

 Ottawa River, might be increased. 



Before concluding T have, another idea to touch upon. For many 

 years I strongly advocated the establishment of a National Museum, 

 which is now being brought to a reality in connection with the Geolo- 

 logical Museum, and I cannot help thinking that there might be 



