FONTINALIS 



hazarded. Where trout are supplied 

 with all the food they can assimilate and 

 every condition is favourable, they will 

 attain a weight of three pounds in as 

 many years, but what takes place in cap- 

 tivity gives little or no clue to the rate 

 of increase when they have to fend for 

 themselves. An instance may be record- 

 ed that shows what are the possibilities 

 of growth. Among the thousands of 

 lakes in the Laurentian country, there 

 are few indeed that do not carry trout. 

 One lake there was which seemed to be 

 absolutely barren, although it contained 

 plenty of food, and the reason for this 

 unusual condition of affairs was a very 

 obvious one. The small stream which 

 flowed out of it fell abruptly two hund- 

 red feet, and fish could not ascend it, 

 nor were there any communicating 

 waters above. The owner of this pre- 

 serve caused a number of small trout to 

 be carried up from below and liberated. 

 The age of these transplanted fish is a 



48 



