IIG Tlnrtij-Flrsi Ainnuil Meeting 



INBREEDING POND-REARED TROUT. 



BY ARTHUR SYKES. 



In subinittiiiii' this ])ai)er the writer does not profess to speak 

 with authority on the subjeet under consideration nor desire to 

 ])ose as a discoverer or a pioneer. If it should appear that the 

 subject is already well imderstood and so simple as to l)e un- 

 worthy of consideration here, an apology for the writer may, per- 

 haps, be found in the fact that he has never heard the subject 

 discussed in any of its phases in relation to fish culture or read 

 anything on the subject emanating from fish culturists in any 

 journal or report, not excepting the reports of the American 

 Fisheries Society. Much has l)een said and written about 

 metliods and results of propagation ; l)ut little thought, it seems, 

 has been given to the foundation on whicli we work or the qual- 

 ity of the material of which it is composed, i. e., the potency and 

 vigor of the parent fish and the emln-yo. 



So far as the writer has been al)le to ascertain the principles 

 underlying the breeding of domestic animals, here exploited, 

 ha\-e not lu'cn applied in fish culture excepting in a very limited 

 way : and no fish culturist has put those principles to a practical 

 and complete test. If, however, my knowledge of what has or is 

 being done is not conij^lete or my surmises not entirely correct, it 

 it', hoped that the attention now called to the subject may be of 

 use to some breeder: and that a tborough discussion of the sub- 

 ject Ity tbe Society may l)e had for tbe benefit of those who. like 

 the wriler, confess to a mediocre knowk'dge of an important sub- 

 ject while willing to contribute his mite. 



Tbe first stock for the pond culture of trout was doul)tless 

 obtained from waters in which tbe fish was found in its primitive 

 state. It was with this stock that the protected propagation of 

 trout in ponds on a large scale was begun. The method of breed- 

 ing pursued, wliicli is still in general ])ractice, is as follows: The 

 s])awn is taken from the female fish of the breeding stock, large 

 and small indiscriminately. The eggs thus taken are fertilized 

 with milt obtained from tbe male lisb of the stock with the same 



