58 FISHES AND FISHING IN SUNAPEE LAKE. 



A curious phenomenon was connected with the disappearing blue- 

 backs. The original blueback never attained a size over 9 or 10 inches 

 in length, or much over one-fourth of a pound m weight. In 1895 

 the smelt was first introduced, and it increased m numbers rapidly, 

 so that in 10 yaars these little fish fairly swarmed in the lake and m 

 the spring breeding season they were washed up in windrows on the 

 shore, much to the annoyance of those living near the shore, owmg to 

 the stench of rotting fish. After the mtroduction and increase in 

 number of the smelts, occasionally a large blueback was caught on a 

 hook, that is, a fish that would weigh a pound or more, and in the fall 

 seasons of 1901 to 1904 in Eangeley Stream the few bluebacks that 

 were found there by the State fish hatchery operations were all large 

 ones, weighmg from 1 to 2 pounds or more. Since then no bluebacks, 

 to the writer's knowledge, have been taken in Rangeley waters, and 

 he has endeavored to keep hi touch with the matter. The increase in 

 size of the few remaming bluebacks is ascribed to the smelts upon 

 which they probably subsisted. 



The reports of the State fish commissioners of New Hampshire 

 indicate that on April 26, 1878, 3,000 and again on June 3, 1879, 

 4,000 young bluebacks were planted in Sunapee Lake. 



They have never given evidence of their presence in the lake, 

 unless the white trout of that lake are the results of those plants, 

 which was at one time contended by some. This will be discussed in 

 connection with the latter. 



White Trout (Salvelinus aureolus) . 



Description. — The "white trout" of Sunapee Lake is one of that 

 group of salmonid fishes properly known as charrs, of which, in this 

 country, the common trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is the best-known 

 member. It is closely related to, if not specifically identical with, 

 the European charr otherwise known m this country by the German 

 name "saiblmg'' {Salvelinus alpinus), and very close to the only 

 charr occurring on the Pacific coast of the United States, Salvelinus 

 hairdii (S. malma Jordan and Evermann in "Fishes of North and 

 Middle America"). 



The Alpme charr occurs throughout central and northern Europe, 

 to some extent in the British Isles, as nominal species, varieties or 

 forms of Salvelinus alpinus, and in closely related or identical forms 

 in Spitzbergen, Iceland, Greenland, Arctic North America, and 

 Siberia. Many forms of the saiblmg have been described as distinct 

 species, but the supposed distinctive characters, upon study of an 

 increased amount of material, have been found to be only individual 

 variations. On the other hand, some forms have been found to 

 possess differences that are group variations more or less local in 

 character which may be of specific value. 



