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ges in the distribution of the animals, since the settle- 

 ment of the State was commenced, have been of a 

 marked and decided character. These changes in the 

 two higher classes of the vertebrata, have already been 

 alluded to. They are equally great in the two lower 

 classes, particularly in the fishes. 



When the first settlements were made in Vermont, 

 and for many years afterwards, the noble Salmon 

 (Salmo solar) abounded in Connecticut river and in 

 Lake Champlain, and in all their principal tributaries. 

 And where is it now 1 Not a solitary individual has, 

 to my knowledge, been observed in our waters for 

 many years. When the countiy was new, almost 

 every stream in the State literally swarmed with brook 

 trout (Salmo fontinalis). This was true in many 

 parts, even within my own recollection ; and in the 

 smaller streams among the mountains, this was almost 

 the only fish ever seen. But they have now nearly all 

 disappeared from the older parts of the State, and 

 their place is, irt some measure, occupied by a few 

 small and worthless species of Cyprinidse. The ponds 

 also abounded in trout, which, with those from the 

 streams, furnished an important part of the sustenance 

 of the early settlers. But these early settlers, not con- 

 tent with the natural distribution of our fishes, sought 

 to improve it by the introduction of the voracious pick- 

 erel into these trout ponds ; thus securing their aid in 

 the extermination of the delicious trout, and in depriv- 

 ing themselves of that rich boon which Providence had 

 provided for them ; and these pickerel were not slow 

 in performing the work of destruction. 



In most new countries there are circumstances con- 

 nected with the origin of the streams, which greatly 



