1912 AND FISHERIES COMMISSION. 117 



might have to be made for shade and a steady flow of the waters before 

 the fish could be expected to thrive, and, further, such matters as the 

 present condition of the aquatic vegetation and the continued preval- 

 ence of a sufficient supply of food would have to be taken into con- 

 sideration, for it is always possible that the local conditions may have 

 altered in these respects, or that gradual changes occurring in regard 

 to them may have played no inconsiderable part in the disappearance 

 of the fish from the waters. It may, perhaps, be interesting to note 

 that in the Adirondacks, since the cultivation of the forest has been 

 seriously undertaken,, resulting not only in the provision of shade but 

 also in a more steady flow of the waters in that region, it has been found 

 possible successfully to reintroduce speckled trout into the headwaters 

 of streams from which this fish had long since disappeared, so that it 

 might, apparently, still be feasible to restock some of the streams and 

 rivers of the less settled portions of central Ontario with this popular 

 sporting fish under careful and adequate direction. Where it is desired 

 to introduce fish, indigenous to the Province, into provincial waters in 

 which they have not previously occurred, the same necessity would 

 exist for a careful scientific investigation, for it is plainly but waste of 

 time, effort and money to plant fish in waters which do not contain suit- 

 able food or in which the general environment is unadapted to their 

 life. 



The introduction into a country of any new form of wild animal 

 life is fraught with considerable risk and uncertainty, not only in re- 

 gard to whether the creature will itself thrive under the new condi- 

 tions, but also in respect of the effect its appearance will have on in- 

 digenous species. There are, however, to be found in almost every 

 community those who, in the course of their travels abroad, become 

 enthused with the sporting or edible qualities of some beast, bird or 

 fish, which is not indigenous to their native soil or to the locality in 

 which they live, and without consideration of the results that may 

 ensue or of the feasibility of the experiment, clamor for its introduc- 

 tion into their own district. Undoubtedly even in Ontario, with all its 

 advantages in magnificent fisheries and extensive hunting grounds for 

 wild fowl and larger game, there are localities into which new varieties 

 of sporting creatures could with advantage be introduced, but it would 

 appear safe to say that in general expert opinion should first be ob- 

 tained as to the advisability of such a measure, particularly so in the 

 case of fish, where the existence of suitable food for all stages of its 

 life can only be ascertained by scientific research. 



Two new varieties of fish, at least, have been introduced into pro- 

 vincial waters within the last thirty years, the carp and the rainbow 

 trout, chiefly through the agency of American enterprise. To the for- 

 mer of these a separate section of this report has been devoted, so that 

 it will suffice here to note that not only have such sporting qualifica- 

 tions as it possesses so far been ignored by the citizens of Ontario, but 



