11 



passage for the fish, which would have the effect of greatly increasing 

 the numbers of this most delicious species. The reports of our assist- 

 ants, from which we have largelj' copied, Avill show how rapid has been 

 the destruction of the trout in this State. It is to be hoped that the- 

 dissemination of intelligence as to the construction of fish ladders and 

 the enforcement of the law against trapping and illegal fishing, as well 

 as the stocking of streams and lakes in which no trout were found, and 

 the restocking of those from which they have disappeared, v\dll have the 

 eftect to repair the waste that has been committed. It having been* 

 noticed that on many streams on which there were sawmills, the trout 

 after a few years disapjieared, it was supposed that the floating sawdust 

 in some manner killed the fish, but as m other streams on M'hich there 

 had been sawmills for years there were still trout to be found, the Maine 

 Commissioners devoted much investigation to solve the mystery. They 

 found that trout readily swam among the floating sawdust, and never 

 seemed to avoid it. At last they ascertained that where the mills were 

 below the gravel spawning beds of the trout the fish were still plenty, 

 but where the mills were above the fish had ceased to be. Wherever 

 the sawdust had sunk and covered the spawning beds, the trout, after a 

 few years, had disappeared, for the trout has the same instinct as the 

 salmon — it returns to spawn in the particular stream in which it was 

 hatched. 



Canada, Avhich is in advance of most of our States in her laws for the 

 preservation of her fisheries, forbids, under penalties, all sawmills from 

 running sawdust into the streams. In a short time it will be requisite 

 to pass similar laws in this State, for, in addition to the destruction of 

 trout, the sawdust will cover the spawning beds of the salmon as 

 effectually as the mud from mining has their gravel beds in the Ameri- 

 can, Yuba, and Feather Elvers. On the Truckee Eiver, about five miles 

 above the Town of Truckee, the Brothers Comer have an establishment 

 for the artifieal hatching of trout. They have been engaged in this 

 business for the past three years, and have successfully hatched and 

 have in their ponds more than half a million offish. Their business is a 

 success in fvevy respect except financiallj'. There is not in this State, 

 as yet, a large demand by individuals for the young trotit to stock 

 streams, and tne feeding of so large a number of fish kept in small ponds 

 requires a considerable outlay. The Commissioners have been requested 

 to expend some portion of the appropriation at their disposal in pur- 

 chasing a j)art of these young fish to be placed in streams that are now 

 VN'ithout trout. It would be an appropriation of money within the spirit 

 of the law, but there is some doubt as to whether the wording of the 

 Act authoi'izes this kind of expenditure. Several of the States have 

 hatching houses in which various kinds of fish valuable for food are 

 hatched, and distributed to ail who desire to stock lakes and streams. 

 The destruction of our native fish has not gone so far that a similar plan 

 is required in California, but we believe it will be found that the drought 

 of the past two years will have had the effect of materially decreasing 

 the trout in all the streams. The sand and gravel beds at the heads of 

 streams where they deposit their spawn must, to a great extent, have 

 been bared by the receding Avater before the eggs came to maturit3^ If 

 authorized, we will expend a portion of the appropriation in purchasing 

 young fish to be distribu.ted to restock streams, or to place in streams 

 and lakes which have no trout in them. 



The Comer Brothers procure their eggs for hatching from the fish 

 caught in the small streams that discharge into Lake Tahoe. Their 



