140 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the liiitchciT of the Pcre Marquette Clul) at AVino-leton, Mich., where 

 l)rook trout were found to be slowly d3'iiig of the Northville disease, and 

 some suggestions for the amelioration of the conditions were made. 



The existence of fungous disease among fishes in the Government 

 aquaria at the Pan-American Exposition, as noted in the report for 

 last year, continued during the summer and required attention. Ex- 

 periments with potassium permanganate and formalin confirmed the 

 previously expressed opinion that they had no advantages over com- 

 mon salt as a remedy for this troublesome disease. 



In March a visit of about one week Avas made to the Charleston 

 Exposition to look into some cases of mortality among aquarium fishes. 

 No serious losses were occurring, and some previous trouble was 

 probably due to polluted water from the lagoon from which the water 

 supply was drawn. The brook trout were slowly dying and these 

 were infected with the Northville organism, which makes an interest- 

 ing addition to the recorded distribution of this species. Local fishes 

 taken for the exposition were not in the best condition and this 

 accounts partly for the aquarium losses. Both salt and fresh water 

 supplies were rather peculiar and not of the best for aquarium pur- 

 poses, the river water being subject to contamination from phosphate 

 works and the fresh artesian water containing considerable soda, like 

 all of the artesian water of the region. 



MISCELLANEOUS LABORATORY WORK, REPORTS, ETC. 

 FISHES FROM THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 



The Commission received through the Surgeon-General of the Army 

 specimens of fishes and fish cakes from, medical officers in the Philip- 

 pine Islands. The fish were from Lake Buhi, in southern Luzon, and 

 represented five or six species, several of which were previously 

 unknown. The most interesting and important of these was an exceed- 

 ingly dmiinutive form, caught in large numbers by the natives and 

 used for food. In forwarding specimens of these fish, Dr. George A. 

 Zeller wrote as follows from the military hospital at Buhi: 



I inclose lierewith samples of a strange article of diet greatly relished by the 

 Bicf)ls, among whom I liave been stationed for the jiast eighteen months. Rice and 

 lish are the staple articles of diet for most Filipinos and in the provinces of the 

 Camarines there is little variation from these two. Fishes of every size and many 

 varieties are prepared in every conceivable form, but the samples inclosed are 

 unicjue in that they are found here and nowhere else. * * * Many varieties of 

 fish abound in the lake, but by far the most numerous are these nimute specimens. 

 They are called in the native Bicol tongue slnarapan, and when dried in the sun on a 

 leaf are called badi. They are caught by a large sheet of close web, which is dipped 

 under wherever a school congregates. They are put into tightly woven I)askets 

 from which the water soon drains, leaving a compact mass of fish. They are not 

 minnows or immature fish. The natives buy them eagerly; and when the little fleet 

 of fishermen return from their morning's quest and i)lace their baskets upon the 

 ground on the market place, they are instantly surrounded I)y a crowd of waiting 

 children, who, armed with every sort of dish, are anxious to take home the family 



