American Fisheries Society, 107 



through weeds and water plants, where it might absorb nature's 

 elixir of life, and perhaps give up some of the elements peculiar 

 to itself when starting at the source. 



An instance came to my notice some years ago where the 

 water seemed greatly benefited b)^ the growth of water plants. 

 The trout were confined in a long pool of water coming from 

 driven wells at one end of the pool. It was quite noticeable that 

 the fish did not frequent the upper half or third of the pool, and 

 were much thicker at the outlet than elsewhere. About one-quar- 

 ter of the pool including the driven wells was screened off and 

 water plants introduced, which grew rapidly, soon completely 

 filling up that portion of the pond. A remarkable change was 

 at once noticed in the behavior of the fish, which were now scat- 

 tered quite evenly over the enclosure, sliowing that the water had 

 undergone a change and become suited to their life. 



Water from some springs and driven wells however Diay be 

 found of the right quality from the start. I have seen trout liv- 

 ing in ponds supplied from driven wells, where the supply came 

 in at the bottom of the pool, and where there was no possible 

 chance of aeration, except what little air might be absorbed at 

 the surface. The water was surely of the right quality at the 

 start for the small fry grew rapidl)'' and were perfectly healthji 

 in every way. Xt one time I rememljer (to illustrate the great 

 difference in the quality of the water sometimes found in tht 

 same location) that I delivered a quantity of trout fry, late in 

 June to a party in the northern part of Maine. I arrived at the 

 gentleman's place late in the evening, and found that he had 

 arranged a race-way with a suitable screen and that a good sup- 

 ply of water was flowing through from a clear, cold spring a few 

 feet distant. I thought his arrangement perfect and, being 

 rather tired having left the hatcherv at daylight, went to my 

 room at once. 



Next morning upon inquiring how the fry were getting on I 

 was surprised at being told that soon after being put into the 

 pool they had commenced to die and only quick work saved a por- 

 tion of them. Noticing that they were acting strangely and 

 turning up, the purchaser wlio was a practical sort of man, made 

 a temporary place for the fish in a box by knocking out the ends 

 and covering with netting, then transferred the fry to this small 



