American Fisheries Society. 113 



the water why is it not more widespread and why does it not 

 ajjpear in all springs? My idea is that it is a freak of nature 

 and a condition that we must simply accept. 



Mr. Clark: I would mention one thing, perhaps, for Dr. 

 Birge's information that Prof. Marsh did not state : The s])ring 

 that is flowing entirely into the cement pond does not touch the 

 air until it n'aches this })oiid where the trouble exists. It com- 

 mences under the northwest corner of our new hatchery and 

 flows under the wall, through tile, and comes out near the lower 

 corner of the l)uil(ling in a crock and iron pipe; it is all under- 

 ground until entering this pond, and is the only source of water 

 to it. The pond is impervious no water being able to enter 

 through the sides or bottom. We even went so far as to tile- 

 drain a little spring away that is under the cement. 



Dr. Birge : It is entirely possible that the bacteria should 

 have been introduced in these troughs. You say some trout be- 

 gan to die very soon after the water was introduced through 

 them. 



Prof. Marsh: Yes. That was on account of the injured 

 snouts of the fish mentioned in my paper, which rendered the 

 fish liable to infection from any pathogenic organisms with 

 wliich the abraded surface came in contact. 



Dr. Birge: How were those trout transported to tlie spring, 

 to your hatchery ? 



Prof. ]\rarsh: In the fish cans ordinarily used for that pur- 

 pose. 



(,). Could not the germ have Ixvn in those cans. Had uot 

 those cans been used where they could get the germ ? 



A. I do not know where they had been. 



Q. Was the possibility of infection there absolutely ex- 

 cluded ? 



A. Xo, it was not. It could not be excluded. Those cans 

 are a possible source of infection. There were other fish ])rought 

 from Osceola in ordinary fish cans; and it was a hard trip. They 

 aiv the ones which lived until the winter: but they wen' not in- 

 jured. 



Dr. Birge: ^\']utt you say of the injury is perfectly reason- 

 able; tliat that was the cause of the rapid death of tlie lisli. in 



