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lion pounds. I earnestly desire that every measure may b 

 taken by your honorable Board to protect those now in our 

 streams, and to allow us to continue the hatching and distribut- 

 ing of this valuable species each succeeding year. The number 

 of this variety placed in our waters in the winter season of 

 1877-78 were two hundred and thirty-four thousand. They 

 were hatched at the Swannanoa hatchery by Mr. W. F. Page, 

 of Virginia, who superintended that, our first season in salmon. 



LAND-LOCKED SALMON. 



The fifteen thousand five hundred salmon of this name were 

 brought from the Maryland State hatchery the first week in 

 April last. They had been hatched at the Druid Hill Hatchery 

 under the supervision of Maj. T. B. Ferguson. Those who 

 know the excellent flavor and qualities of this and the California 

 salmon, will appreciate the character and importance of the 

 task we have undertaken. The land-locked salmon is not migra- 

 tory in its habits, but remains exclusively in fresh, clear and 

 cold waters. Tney attain a weight of several pounds and take 

 both the baited hook and artificial flies. For the head streams 

 of our rivers taking rise west of Greensboro this fish seems en- 

 tirely adapted, and I respectfully recommend that more atten- 

 tion be given it in our future operations. They can be hatched 

 simultaneously with the California salmon and mountain trout. 



FISH THAT OUGHT TO BE FOSTERED. 



I would respectfully call attention to the importance of rock 

 fish and sturgeon. These are native fish and can be made of 

 immense value in the streams of this State. 



It may not be generally known that the rock fish remains in 

 our streams half of the year, they ascend in the fall and remain 

 till the shad season is past. From what I learn there is no 

 doubt that their spawn can be obtained in abundance on the 

 lioanoke river near Weldon. The immense number of eggs 

 found in sturgeon leads to a positive assurance that we could 



