Parasites, Diseases and Enemies. 261 



for me to inspect every box of livers which came from 

 New York daily, and in my report to the New York 

 Fish Commission for the year I was at a loss to account 

 for the mortality. 



The following circular was issued by me to trout 

 breeders: 



"My Dear Sir: During the summer of 1890, a dis- 

 ease which was new to me appeared among the trout 

 in the State ponds under my charge. Both brook and 

 brov/n trout., large and small., died in great numbers, 

 especially the larger ones of from two to four pounds. 

 I have learned that this was epidemic on Long Island, 

 and in portions of New Jersey, and wish to trace its 

 range, hence this circular is addressed to you in the 

 hope of learning more of its ravages. 



"There was no appearance of fungus of the cottony 

 sort, which follows an injury to the skin, with which 

 we are all familiar. The first indication of the disease 

 was a white spot, usually on the side, above or near the 

 anus, of perhaps an inch in diameter. Within ten days 

 a hole would appear in this and shortly afterward the 

 fish would die. Then it would appear that under the 

 skin a patch of dead and decomposed tissue was found, 

 three to four inches long by one to two inches wide, 

 and on the slightest pressure this would spurt out a 

 dark fluid. Under the microscope only broken-down 

 tissue in a state of partial fluidity, with blood corpus- 

 cles, could be seen. To my unprofessional eye it more 

 nearly resembled a severe case of Epithelioma, or skin 

 cancer, which I once saw on a man. The disease ap- 

 peared in May and continued into August, but as noth- 

 ing was to be gained by letting the matter get into the 

 newspapers it was kept quiet. 



