144 Tliirf //-First Annual Iferting 



and such suddt'U eluniges in fish life tliat you cannot estimate 

 the effects, except hv experience. 



Mr. Titcomh : Do not the rainljow trout on the Pacific 

 Coast in tlieir ]iatural hal)itat take the fiy ? 



Dr. Bean : Yes, hut it is known on the Pacific coast as a 

 bottom feeder more than anytliing else. They may he seen 

 horing right on the hottom, as cod do sometimes, standing on 

 their heAds and l)oring down. But it does not seem to do so 

 here. 



To show liow domestication may change the hal)its of a fish, 

 you all knoAv aljout tlie experiment in France in the rearing of 

 the big Pacific salmon in fresh water. Two years ago I saw in 

 the aquarium of Paris at the Trocadero, fish hatched from the 

 eighth generation of eggs, the parents of which had been retained 

 in fresh water, and the fish never had access to anything but 

 fresh water. Kow, there was a sudden change of habitat and 

 habit, and you would think it inexplicable almost, but they are 

 all good healthy fish, although it is the eighth generation from 

 eggs brought from the Pacific coast. It shows the wonderful 

 influence of domestication in altering habits. 



]\Ir. C*lark : I did not question that matter at all. I am well 

 aware that domestication changes fish naturally, but I could not 

 see how that eggs taken from wild fish on the Pacific Coast, 

 brought here, merely hatched on trays, and the fry be planted 

 in a wild stream here, could be said to be in the line of domes- 

 tication. That was the only point. 



The President : There might he a change of environment 

 or external conditions, such as feeding, etc. 



j\Ir. George F. Lane, Silver Lake, Mass. : There are four 

 weeks of their life when you do not feed them, and that in my 

 experience domesticates them considerably. 



Mr. H. D. Dean, of Xeosho, Mo. : Wliy do not In'ook trout 

 survive and tlirive with us? They do not. although the rain- 

 l)ow trout do. I cannot take the eggs from the fish raised at the 

 station and get any hirge ])erc('ntage of n'turns from planting 

 till 1 1 1 ill our streams. 



Mr. Chirk: T do not know why Mr. Dean would say that 

 they (k) not tliri\-e theiv. wlieii I think at Ids station before he 

 was there, lliey niadt' (piite a spread in tlu' growth of brook 



