Sixth Annual Meeting. 59 



in the artificial production of fish, showing clearly and plainly 

 that they regard it as a work of importance, to be carried out as 

 successfully as possible. 



The President : There is a subject to which I wish to call 

 your attention : the question between the Canada-trout and the 

 sea-trout. I see that some put them down as salmo Canadensis, 

 and others as salmo fonlinalis. The question comes up, whether 

 they are sea-trout. There are three specimens sent here, and I 

 should like to ask your opinion whether these are the salmo 

 fontinaiis, or a new specimen. 



Mr. Wilmot : I shall giye my opinion yery broadly, because 

 I am satisfied that whatT state will be objected to. I am of the 

 opinion that the sea-trout, or the salmo fontinaiis, is one and the 

 same fish ; that you may make the sea-trout the salmo fontinaiis, 

 or the salmo fontinaiis the sea-trout, at your pleasure. Take the 

 eggs of the sea-trout and put them in the waters of our inland 

 stream, and you will have a speckled-trout. Take the ova of 

 the speckled-trout and hatch them out and let them go down 

 to the sea, and you will haye the sea-trout. I have taken a 

 great deal of trouble in the last four or five years in the estab- 

 lishments over which I have some control, to look closely into 

 the matter, and I am convinced that they are identical and the 

 same fish — that you make one or the other at your pleasure. I 

 presume that some of the scientific gentlemen may go further 

 than I do, and say there are a few more spinous rays in the 

 tails or fins, or something of that sort ; but I am speaking of it 

 practically. I do not, for a moment, wish to suggest any 

 unbelief in the science in which these gentlemen are engaged, 

 but I think that although one may have more spinous ravs than 

 the other, or more teeth, or a different color, they are the same 

 practically. 



