Aiiiprican Fislieries Society. 213 



oiu- l)c',st brook trout fry, and realized that under proper condi- 

 tions they were gross feeders and rapid growers. 



When placed in the ponds they do not spread around as do 

 most trout, hut huddle in the dark corners darting erraticallv 

 here and there whenever anyone approaches. It is necessary to 

 wait until they become quiet and still in their usual location be- 

 fore throwing in the feed. Great care must be exercised in feed- 

 ing, only so much as they will pick up, as otherwise the pond 

 would soon become foul. The fish now appear quite hardy, with 

 no unusual tendency toward disease or fungtts, but are very sen- 

 sitive as to temperature. Our limited experience would indicate 

 55° as being the maximum to which they should be subjected, 

 and a still lower one as being more desirable. If this condition 

 can he met there need be no serious difficulty in rearing to the 

 yearling stage, but beyond this the task becomes increasingly 

 difficult. Few hatcheries have ponds of suitable size and depth, 

 combined with proper temperature, to warrant any attempt to 

 carry them to a greater age. 



Before closing I wish to call attention to two peculiarities we 

 have observed, first, our young fish have always heon most active 

 and healthy and have made the most rapid gi'owth in the severe 

 winter months, lessening in degree as spring approaches, when 

 other salmonidae begin to thrive. This is ]n'obal)ly due to th-^ 

 fact that the temperature and the subdued light of the short 

 winter days most nearly approximate the conditions found at the 

 depths they would ordinarily inhabit. The second is in connec- 

 tion with the marbling on the back. Our authorities all agree 

 in telling us that this marbling is one of the marks by which it 

 can be distinguished from the brook trout. Xow it is one of the 

 anomalous facts in connection with this fisli that (hiring a cer- 

 tain stage, intermediate, I may term it, this marbling is as plain 

 as on the brook trout. During the second year, as the bars and 

 blotches begin to fade, the marbling a]>pears. apparently. a< 

 though it had been merely hidden from view liv tlieir more dense 

 colors. Before attaining to full maturity these in turn fad* 

 from sight. The Canadian red trout is the onlv nihor fisli. lo 

 mv knowledsre, that has this same -[-jeculiarity. 



