REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXXI 



were put in several — some at the head of the poud in order to i)i'event 

 the fry from injuring themselves by leaping. Shade was also provided, 

 traps of various kinds were placed for the jjurpose of catching rats 

 and other animals destructive to fish, and a night watch was estab- 

 lished. In some of the ponds the fish were thoroughly assorted and 

 in other ponds wood mold was used liberally, several bushels being 

 thrown in the water at a time. These experiments failed to produce 

 any beneficial results, and it was finally concluded that the large loss 

 was due to the ravages of the belostoma. This insect appeared in 

 comparatively large numbers about June 15, as many as 12 specimens 

 being caught on one day, June 28. Before it made its appearance 

 around the upper ponds the death rate there was light, but with its 

 increase the mortality was greater. This bug, well known as one of the 

 most destructive enemies of young fish, does its work at night. It 

 both tlies and crawls, and it apparently came into the ponds through 

 the open ditch. 



At the close of the year there remained on hand the following fish: 



Put-in Bay Station, Ohio (.1. .J. Stkaxahax, Superintendent). 



The weather during the white-fish season was worse than any expe- 

 rienced for a decade, as shown by the marine reports, in which it is 

 recorded that the loss of vessels on the Great Lakes was the largest in 

 the history of the country. In addition to this, the season opened later 

 than usual, the first eggs being secured on November il. On the 23d 

 the mercury dropped to 19°, and fishing practically ceased at the very 

 height of the season, the fishermen removing their nets to prevent their 

 being caught in the ice and destroyed. Notwithstanding these unfavor- 

 able conditions, the catch at the west end of the lake was greater than 

 for several years previous; 83,403,000 eggs were secured from the boats 

 of the commercial fishermen and 12,785 adult fish were penned at Put in 

 Bay Island and Monroe Piers, Michigan, from which 102,051,000 eggs 

 were taken, making a total of 185,154,000 for the season, as against 

 112,842,000 the previous year. The work of penning live fish began at 

 both points on October 31, and continued uninterruptedly, except on 

 very stormy days, until November 21 at Monroe Piers and November 29 

 at the station. 



The fish at Monroe Piers were evidently more advanced than those at 

 Put-in Bay, the first eggs there being secured on November 11, whereas 

 at the station no eggs were obtained until December 17. 



