912 RtilPORT OF COMMISSIOJSER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



west branch or Sclioodic Eiver. There are no facts at command rela- 

 tive to its distribution in the lakes of the east branch of tlie Saint Croix, 

 except that it is now exceedingly scarce in all that region. 



The proper home of the Scboodic salmon is in the lakes mentioned 

 above. The streams are resorted to mainly for the purpose of repro 

 ductiou, but to a very considerable extent for the purpose of feeding. 

 There are two migrations yearly from the lakes to the streams. The 

 first is the spring migration, performed for the sole purpose of feeding. 

 The second is the fall migration, performed for the sole purpose of repro- 

 duction. The spring migration begins in May, is at its height in June, 

 and ceases in August, either by the death of the migrated fish at the 

 hand of the sportsman or by their return to the lakes. The fall migra- 

 tion begins in September, but takes place mostly in late October and 

 early November, and ceases at the beginning of winter ; such fish as 

 may have survived returning then to the lakes. 



These migrations do not answer very well to those of the sea-going 

 salmon. The spring movement is indeed hardly entitled to the term 

 "migration." The autumnal movement is well defined and complete, 

 and answers to the only observed migration of sea-going salmon, yet it 

 occupies much less time, is accompanied by a very limited abstinence 

 from food, and involves no change of element like that from salt to 

 fresh water. 



The spring migration is not participated in by all the salmon, although 

 probably all of them are at that season busily feeding. They are to be 

 found in greater or lesser numbers in all parts of the lakes inhabited by 

 them, and are taken by bait at the surface of the water. That is the 

 season when insects are most abundant, and it is probably mainly the 

 pursuit of these that attracts the salmon to the streams and to the sur- 

 face of the water. 



Though there appears to be reason to call the late spring and early 

 summer the feeding season, it does not appear that it is exclusively so. 

 There is no part of the year, with the possible exception of the spawning 

 season, when it is impossible to catch salmon with a baited hook. Yet it 

 would be too much to assert, in the present state of our knowledge on 

 the subject, that all of them continue to feed through the late summer 

 months, or even that feeding is general among them at that season. The 

 retirement to the depths of the lakes in midsummer may indicate either 

 a general cessation from feeding or merely a change of food, as that oc- 

 curring in the deep waters would, most likely, be different from that 

 found in the shallows. 



Of the precise sort of food taken by the salmon, but little can be said 

 for want of definite observations. It is the general belief that they feed 

 largely on insects, and probably this is correct. They are also known 

 to feed more or less on small fishes. There is a species of smelt in these 

 lakes, attaining a maximum length of about four inches, which is pur- 

 sued by the salmon. At various dates in February, March, and April 



