45 



preserving the Schoodic salmon and distributing it into distant and 

 strange waters, where it will be more highly prized and pi-oteoted. 

 Whether it will lose some of its good qualities by the change remains 

 to be demonstrated. 



I should fail to do justice to the land-locked salmon, and also be 

 guilty of the deepest ingratitude to him., if I failed to speak here of 

 his high qualities as a game fish. All true fly fishermen who have 

 ever killed the Sclioodic salmon speak of it with the greatest enthu- 

 siasm. I have heard an old angler say he had rather kill six of these 

 fish than fifty trout of the same size. That " grave and reverend 

 angler," Dr. Bethune, went regularly every spring to Grand lake for 

 many years, and he had right royal sport there sometimes. It has 

 been my fortune to share the camp for three years with George Trott, 

 Esq., of Philadelphia, who was the comrade of Dr. Bethune at the 

 stream for many years, and over our camp fire he has related to me 

 the wonderful stories of those days. From his diary is taken the 

 score of their sport a few years ago : " June, 1856, three rods, six days, 

 634 fish, 872 pounds ; June, 1857, three rods, six days, 432 fish, 642 

 pounds ; June, 1858, two rods, eight days, 5-10 fish, 725 pounds ; one 

 rod, six hours, sixty-five fish, ninety-four pounds." When fish are so 

 plentitul as this, it would seem to deprive the sport of its true zest. 

 But this will never be the case again at this spot. There is a tradition 

 at the stream that a Scotchman crossed the Atlantic regularly every 

 year for several years to kill these fish ; and I liave no doubt it is true, 

 for one who has ever enjoyed this sport once has a keen relish for it 

 and desires to try it again when the season comes around. The ruin 

 of this noble fishery at Grand lake will therefore be deeply mourned 

 among the anglers. It does seem as if it might have been saved, and 

 been the source of as much wealth to the State and the locality as a 

 tannery. 



It is hardly necessary for me to add to this evidence of the high 

 qualities of land-locked salmon, as a food and game fish, that it emi- 

 nently deserves the attention of fish culturists and those engaged in 

 the promotion of the culture of useful fishes on behalf of the State. 

 It has been shown that it thrives well under artificial treatment, and 

 there is every reason to believe that it will do well in all pure lakes 

 and streams, such as are favorable to the growth of the brook trout. 



In their report of 1871, the Massachusetts commissioners say: 

 " The Sebago salmon procured last year yielded several thousand eggs, 

 wliich were successfully liatched. The seven fish brought at that time 

 have lived perfectly well in a spring pond of moderate size, which 



