76 THE REPORT OF THE No. 31 



they could be obtained in large numbers, and convenient to railway points. 

 Such points having been located upon one or more of our great lakes, the next 

 matter to be considered was that of rapid transportation. The province was 

 not yet prepared to build a car for the purpose, and therefore the Government 

 approached the railways, which it was thought would be interested in the work, 

 with a view to obtaining their active co-operation to the extent of fitting up 

 and placing at the disposal of the department a car for the purpose of carrying 

 fish, bearing in mind that in some of the States the railways had co-operated in 

 that way. A well-known passenger agent has observed : " What would the 

 interior travel amount to if no effort was made to keep up the supply of fish 

 and game ? It is not to be supposed for an instant that persons are going to 

 our interior just to see what the rivers and lakes look like. It is, of course, for 

 the pleasure derived in the way of sport incident to the catching of fish and the 

 hunting of game." It was not suggested that a car on anything like so elabor- 

 ate a scale as some of the United States fish cars should be provided, but merely 

 that a superannuated passenger or express coach should be adapted to the pur- 

 pose. Ultimately it was found that a greater part of the work, or that which, 

 in the opinion of the department should first be done, was at points to be 

 reached by the Grand Trunk Railway, and therefore the matter of the con- 

 struction of the car was thoroughly gone into with representatives of that road. 

 Their willingness to co-operate was graciously and readily expressed, a plan 

 was prepared, and the car was equipped. Originally a first-class passenger 

 coach, it is divided into sections, with a passageway down the middle. A double 

 door in the centre on either side is provided for convenience in loading and un- 

 loading, taking on ice, etc. There are ten tanks, besides two compartments for 

 ice. The tanks are lined with heavy galvanized iron, and are so constructed 

 that the water may freely circulate from one tank to the other. The car is 

 charged from a railway hydrant or tank en route. At one end of the car is a 

 double lower and upper berth, a lavatory and a compartment for storing the 

 various utensils in use. The fish are taken by seines and in pound nets under 

 contract, which provides that they be delivered on the car. The Government 

 pay for the catching and loading of the fish, the railway company furnish the 

 car and practically free transportation, and the fish are distributed at the point 

 of destination by interested parties under the supervision of the Government 

 overseers. During the first season (1901), in a few weeks' time, nearly 10,000 

 adult bass, ranging from 12 to 20 inches in length, were deposited in some 18 

 different lakes and rivers, a greater number than had theretofore been introduced 

 in the province's whole history. The bulk of these fish were deposited before 

 they had spawned that year. 



The main essentials to successful transportation are, (1) healthy and vigor- 

 ous stock, and (2) unceasing attention while in transit. The water should be 

 changed as often as possible, kept at a proper temperature, and frequently oxy- 

 genated. The latter is done by means of a hand pump. Our attendant in charge 

 of the car has been much interested in and most devoted to the work. The suc- 

 cess of our operations so far may be characterized as almost phenomenal. The 

 fish have been transported in some cases nearly 400 miles ; 850 was the largest 

 number carried at any one time, with a loss of only ten per cent.; 720 were 

 carried 225 miles with a loss of not more than two per cent. Of course, without 

 the car, we should have been unable to pursue the work with anything like the 

 success that has attended it. Where the car has been hauled over other systems 

 than the G.T.R., this has been done gratuitously, and at times special service 

 furnished. 



The most convenient way to distribute the fish, where there is a steamboat 

 plying on the lake or waters to be stocked, we have found to be from a scow 



