Fish-cultural Conditions at Forest Fork 309 



With the alewife and the black fly larva we do not have to feed our 

 bass anything. Nature does it for us, and still we have the most beau- 

 tiful bass — they are as fine as the bass in Forest Lake — and we feel very 

 happy over it. 1 believe that any state having access to alewife fish- 

 eries can undoubtedly utilize the alewife eggs in that way. 



We also propagate shad at that same station. We take about 

 8,000,000 shad eggs at Rhine Cliff, which is some 20 miles below the 

 point at which they were taken in the time of Seth Green, 35 or 40 

 years ago; but still we take them and we are getting almost as many 

 every spring as were collected at Castleton 40 years ago. Of course 

 we hatch those eggs, and in getting them we obtain also alewife eggs. 

 We get from 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 during the season, giving us an 

 ample supply for our ponds. 



Then we rear some shad. The shad appear to Mud in these ponds 

 daphnia, cyclops and other little Crustacea in enormous quantities. Our 

 ponds are not large, but are well arranged, have both shallow and deep 

 areas, with plenty of aquatic plants; so that the insect and crustacean 

 life is attracted to the ponds, and the fish get the benefit. The shad 

 grew this year to a length of 6 inches up to the time when they were 

 liberated; and they were fed only on cracker dust, just as the Con- 

 necticut Commission used to do. We planted about 100,000 at one time 

 from 3 to 6 inches in length. 



Mr. Worth : I would like to ask Dr. Bean what the scientific name 

 of that black fly is, so that we can look it up. 



Dr. Bean: It is a species of Simulium. I have the specific name, 

 but I do not remember it offhand. It is one of the black flies. The 

 little bass are so fond of this larva that they will actually swim ail 

 over the hand of the attendant feeding them. They lose their fear, 

 although the young bass is a pretty shy fish ; they come and seize de- 

 liberately, without fear, every larva that can be taken off the attend- 

 ant's hand. 



Mr. Meehan : What is your method of breeding this larva? 



Dr. Bean : We do not have to do that at all. It comes into the 

 ponds every year. The only thing that we add to the pond is the ale- 

 wife fry. 



Mr. Meehan: Are the eggs deposited on the edge of the ponds? 



Dr. Bean : Yes. 



Mr. Meehan: And then as they hatch the larva falls into the water? 1 



Dr. Bean: Yes; and they collect on the slash-boards of the pond 

 nutlets. The attendant simply goes there, and with his hand or a 

 dipper takes out a handful at one movement; they are then given to 

 the bass in the usual way. 



Mr. Meehan: If it became necessary or desirable to introduce this 

 fly for such purposes, would its culture be difficult, or haven't you 

 looked into that feature? 



Dr. Bean: No, I have not. We have not had occasion to introduce 

 it, because it is always there. The same thing is true at Constantia. 



