REPORT OF STATE BOARD OF FISH COMMISSIOiNERS. 47 



water, they prey upon each other continually, with the result that neither 

 increases in the same ratio that would be the case if separate waters were 

 given to each variety. There are many large bodies of water in the 

 lower elevations where the temperature of the water rises above what 

 trout can endure, but where black bass find a most congenial habitat, 

 so we believe that there is no occasion for putting these two kinds of 

 fish in the same waters. On the other hand, the large-mouth black 

 bass, which is the variety we are handling chiefly, shows no perceptible 

 increase in the colder waters of the higher elevations. It is noteworthy 

 that black bass flourish and retain all their good qualities as an edible 

 fish in the same waters where carp exist, the difference in quality being 

 due to the fact that the food of the carp is largely of a vegetable char- 

 acter, whereas black bass live upon the young of inferior fisbes, such as 

 carp, minnows, suckers, etc. 



In this State many artificial lakes and reservoirs are being created 

 each year for purposes of irrigation or power. It is our policy to make 

 these storage places of still greater value by planting black bass in 

 them, thereby bringing an additional food supply within reach of many 

 of our people who can not afford the time or have not the means to go 

 to the mountains for trout, and the taking of which will afford them a 

 great deal of sport. Some years ago two plants of black bass were made 

 in Clear Lake, Lake County, but they were lost sight of until in the 

 past two years, when they began to show a marked increase. Large 

 schools are frequently seen in different portions of the lake, and where 

 the carp had the upper hand the black bass are now in the ascendancy. 

 We find the same result has followed the planting of black bass in other 

 waters that were infested with carp — the black bass increase and the 

 carp diminish, only the adult carp being found. As it is the young 

 carp that furnish a food supply for the bass, therefore we contend that 

 while the carp does not rank high as a food fish and is largely con- 

 demned, it plays a very important part in the economy of nature by 

 furnishing a means of subsistence for a bettor fish. 



THE GRAYLING. 



Through the courtesy of Hon. George M. Bowers, United States Com- 

 missioner of Fisheries, we were able to secure from Bozeman, Montana, 

 a shipment of grayling eggs, which were hatched at the Sisson hatchery, 

 and some 7,000 fry resulting therefrom are now in the rearing ponds. 

 This marks the first effort of the California Fish Commission to intro- 

 duce this beautiful fish into our waters. According to Dr. David Starr 

 Jordan, there is but one genus, Thymallus. The grayling is found 

 throughout northern Europe as far south as the mountains of Hungary, 

 where it has been called "the flower of fashes." The name Thymallus 



