330 With Rod and Gun in New England 



increased annually to provide space for rearing a larger portion of the 

 product to the fingering age. The water supply at Roxbury is unex- 

 celled in the qualities essential to the propagation of the salmo?iidce. 



There is a national hatchery at St. Johnsbury devoted to the propa- 

 gation of the salmonidce. While especially favored in having a national 

 hatchery, its product is not confined to the State or to New England, but 

 is shipped to State commissions in the form of eyed ova, or transported di- 

 rect to streams in various States by means of well-equipped cars con- 

 structed for the especial use of the United States Fish Commission. While 

 the State hatchery obtains its supply of brook trout eggs from adult fish 

 retained in ponds at the hatchery, and its lake trout eggs from the United 

 States Fish Commission, the national hatchery at St. Johnsbury obtains its 

 supply of eggs from the wild trout, and has collecting stations at Groton, 

 Greensboro, and other places. 



In collecting the eggs of the native trout, the fish are first caught and 

 retained in pens constructed for the purpose until ripe, when the eggs and 

 milt are extruded and the fish returned to their native waters, unharmed 

 and apparently happier for the operation performed upon them. The 

 angler who fishes for days with indifferent success would be surprised to 

 see the hundreds of trout taken from their spawning beds during the 

 proper season. At Caspian lake, Greensboro, it was not uncommon to 

 capture over a hundred trout in one night's fishing, none of which weighed 

 less than half a pound and many weighing from two to five pounds. At 

 Groton the trout differ in their habits from those at Greensboro, in that 

 they ascend the brook to spawn instead of spawning along the shores of 

 the pond. They are caught in a trap as they ascend the stream, fifteen 

 hundred fish having been known to enter the trap in a period of twenty- 

 four hours and over seven thousand trout during one season. These fish 

 range from six to twelve inches long and the average weight is about one 

 fourth of a pound. The pond from which they were taken is a mill-pond, 

 fed by a brook about two and one-half miles in length. The abundance of 

 the trout is attributed to the fact that this brook retains its primitive 

 quality of water, is supplied from springs and furnishes good spawning 

 grounds. The waters have been protected against inordinate fishing. 

 There is a possibility for many such natural preserves if the owners of 

 farms and summer homes would properly utilize the streams and springs 

 which are a part of their property. 



Game : — Sixteen years ago, deer were practically extinct in southern 

 and central Vermont and were not at all abundant in the wildest portions 

 of the northern part of the State. It was about that time that a number 

 of sportsmen in Rutland county, assisted by a few from adjoining counties, 

 made up a fund by subscription to purchase some deer which had been 

 advertised for sale at Dannemora, New York. Several hundred dollars 



