MILNER FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 59 



tlie mouth of September they were exhibited at a fair in London, Can- 

 ada. They were then about five inches long. In December the young 

 fish had attained the length of seven inches. 



Mr. jS". W. Clark, of Clarkston, Mich., visited Wilmot's hatching-house 

 in 1871, and in an address before the house of representatives of Michi" 

 gan, said: "Enough is known from the success of Samuel Wilmot, Esq., 

 of Canada, to sustain us in the assertion that they (the white-fish) increase 

 in weight about three-quarters of a pound a year, as those he had when 

 we saw them, last January, we judged to have weighed about one and 

 a quarter pounds, being then about eighteen months old." 



These are the only records of observations of the growth of the white- 

 fish, and evidences of this character are the only ones of any value of the 

 rate of groAvth. 



An attempt was made several times from large lifts of fish lying in 

 the fish-shanties to arrange the different sizes of white-fish in series? 

 with the hope that some evidence of the rate of growth per year would 

 result. It was always found that the row of fishes, from the larger to 

 the smaller, assumed the form of a spire-like pyramid, and a "straight- 

 edge " laid at their heads would have touched the noses of every one in 

 the series, and on the opposite end it would have touched every tail, so 

 perfectly regular was the gradation. 



It was difficult to believe that the white-fishes, of from nearly five 

 inches to six or seven, had attained these dimensions in three months from 

 the little half-inch embryos of Aijril and May, though none of less size 

 were found with the most diligent search. 



Mr. Wilmot's young fish measured about five inches in September 

 when four months old. Exi)erience has proved that there is a more 

 rapid growth of the young trout and salmon afterwards than during the 

 first two months. The observation on the development of the young 

 white-fish from April to the first week of May showed the slightest per 

 ceptible difference of length and bulk. If we assume them to be the 

 fish of this season, then they had increased ten times in length in two 

 months, precluding the possibility of a more rapid growth afterward. 



It is altogether probable that tbe fish measuring from four to seven 

 inches in Jidy were those of the previous season's hatching, and about 

 sixteen months old. It is equally probable that the Point Edward fish 

 of seven inchesare thoseof the same season, as thefivemonths intervening 

 the 1st of July and the 3d of December should have produced considera- 

 ble growth. To confirm this opinion we have Mr. Wilmot's statement 

 that his white-fish had attained the length of seven inches in December- 



These evidences of the rate of growth are the only conclusions we 

 have been enabled to adopt with reference to the size attained at differ- 

 ent ages. Xor does this decide the average size of the growth of the 

 white-fishes the first and second seasons. 



A very excellent opportunity of observing tbe sizes attained by the 



