692 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
Now, let us see what has been the result in Colorado after a period of twenty-five 
years: Our hatcheries, beginning with these first small plants made from eggs secured 
from other points, gradually began to secure both brook and rainbow spawn in increas- 
ing numbers from our own waters. The Gunnison River is one of our typical trout 
streams. Twenty-five years ago it was full of the native trout. None were taken 
from it for spawning purposes, consequently it can not be claimed that the hatcheries 
interfered in any way with their natural reproduction. The hatcheries, meanwhile, 
have been industriously collecting both brook and rainbow eggs, planting the resulting 
fry in public waters in increasing numbers, year by year. To-day, after twenty-five 
years of this policy of noninterference with the natives, this species has become prac- 
tically extinct in the Gunnison River, and the condition in this river is typical of what 
has transpired in our other streams. This same Gunnison River is still celebrated for 
its trout, but the reputation rests entirely on the introduced species, the hatchery 
products, the rainbow of the Pacific slope and the brook trout of the east, which in our 
Colorado waters found a congenial home and attained a higher degree of excellence 
than in their native habitat. Sixty-five per cent, possibly more, of the trout in the 
Gunnison to-day are rainbows, the balance are brooks, with an occasional native, but 
the latter are very rare. 
So far as Colorado is concerned, both of these varieties are entirely the product of 
the hatcheries. Nature, or, more properly speaking, the natural method of spawning, 
had practically nothing to do with this remarkable increase. That this is a fact is 
amply attested by the rapid decrease among the natives when left to propagate nat- 
urally. Through the work of the hatcheries, our streams are still well stocked, but 
with the brook and rainbow trout. 
Mr. Titcomb spoke of a lake containing an island, around which the fish circulated 
in great numbers during the spawning period. If we allowed these fish to spawn according 
to nature, there is no doubt but that lake would continue to be thickly populated, but 
it would not benefit other waters. Operated under fish-cultural methods, assisting 
nature in her efforts, we have taken over 6,000,000 eggs from this island lake. We 
could have taken more had we proper facilities at the time. With the fry from these 
eggs, we were enabled to stock many of the lakes and streams of the state. I believe 
no better illustrations can be given of the value of fish-cultural methods than we can 
bring you from Colorado. 
Mr. Frank N. CLark. Mr. President and gentlemen, I have very little information 
to add in the short time allotted to me in this discussion, but I shall try to answer the 
two or three points which are all I am willing to concede have been made on the other 
side of this question. 
One question, I think possibly from Mr. Fryer, or some other member, in reference 
to the small fish—speaking of certain nets or grounds where it was almost impossible 
to get along without catching small fish. Remember what I said: “Prevent any sort 
of fishing in certain localities where large numbers of immature fish congregate upon the 
feeding grounds, this legislation to pertain to all portions of the Great Lakes system 
where the presence of such fish has been established and to be enforced during such 
month or months as they make their appearance in large numbers for feeding purposes.”’ 
We do not propose to permit any fishing there at all; wherever the small fish are caught 
in large numbers should be a government reservation—that is my idea. That is all I 
have to say about the small fish. 
Another gentleman, I think Professor Prince, spoke of the high percentage of 
impregnation of the fish eggs in a natural way. With the salmon there is no doubt of it; 
but with trout, i. e., lake trout, not the stream trout, and with the whitefish, I thought 
it was conceded by all who are interested in fish culture that the percentage of impreg- 
nation of the naturally spawned fish was very low. I have always supposed it was 
conceded. If I might be permitted to state, Mr. President, I think it is of record in some 
