60 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



broolv-trout at different ages, was afforded at Mr. H. F. Dousman's 

 hatcliing-house at Waterville, Wis. 



There is a more uneven growth in the trout of the same season than 

 among- auy of our familiar domestic animals, such as sheep, pigs, or 

 chickens. 



Mr. Dousman's fish of the seasou, hatched in January and February, 

 measured at the time of my visit, October 25, from two aud one-half to 

 five inches in length; while his trout of the previous season, about 

 one year and eight months old, were from seven to fourteen im-hes in 

 length. 



Mr. Dousmau is a large feeder, supplying his fish with food regularly 

 twice a day throughout the year. He has the most perfect arrangements 

 for keeping his fish of different ages separate, as there is no possibility of 

 their getting together other than being dipped out of one of the box- 

 flumes in which they are separately confined and dropped tbrongh the 

 trap-door of another. 



Tlie same great variation is found to occur in the parr and grilse stage 

 of the salmon, and is probably the case with all the species of the Sal- 

 mo}ioidw at all ages, the lake white-fishes included. 



(22 /.) Average size of mature fishes. — The average size of mature fishes, 

 in different localities, varies greatly. The white-fish of the region of 

 the Apostle Islands is a medium-sized fish. The entire catch of the nu- 

 merous fisheries in their vicinity should not be estimated higher than 

 one and a half pounds for all the fish marketed. 



In Thunder Bay, on the northern shore of the lake, a lift seen in 

 October contained fish that averaged about the same as at the Apostle 

 Islands. 



Mr. George Barnston, of Montreal, a naturalist, connected in former 

 times with the Hudson Bay Company, says, with reference to the white- 

 fishes of Michipicoten Bay and River : '• The produce of our own seines 

 and nets I always regarded as composed of one species of white-fish, 

 and the same as that caught everywhere in the lakes." 



A large type of white-fish is reported from localities in the western 

 half of Lake Superior, taken at certain seasons. Mr. E. Alvord, of San- 

 dusky, Ohio, took a white-fish at Madeline Island, one of the Apostle 

 Islands, weighing twenty-two pounds and a half. Stories, not well 

 authenticated, of specimens weighing twenty -four pounds and over, are 

 common on Lake Superior. 



In White-Fish Bay a type of white-fish is taken, said to average very 

 large. A specimen was forwarded to Buffalo from this locality, this sea- 

 son, weighing twenty pounds. 



In Bachewauna Bay, opposite AVliite-Fish Point, Mr. Barnston speaks 

 of the Avhite-fish as longer, and much thicker and heavier, than those of 

 Michipicoten. 



At the foot of the Sault Ste. Marie Rapids the Indians fish in the swift 

 current, from birch canoes, with large dip-nets, taking a type of white- 



