SALMON AND TROUT CULTURE. 461 



cases unavoidably) killed by 'starvation' either before or after 

 turning out, it would be impossible to calculate ! 



My own fish are sent off to the ' Nurseries ' on the first signs 

 of their requiring food, which they show by rising from the 

 bottom of the hatching trays into about mid-water, balancing 

 themselves there, with heads against the current, and turning 

 at any small particle they see passing. It appears as if the first 

 good meal a young trout gets may be compared to the ' Nest- 

 egg ' which a man is advised to put by — it is often the making 

 of him ! 



Unlike most other very young animals, they seem suddenly 

 to acquire the movements and habits of old fish, and to pass 

 from the helpless ' alevin ' stage into maturity in all except 

 bulk. 



Some interesting experiments have been tried in my garden, 

 where there are several tanks twelve feet by six feet and seven 

 inches deep. Last spring a few (150) grayling and trout fry 

 were put into one of these tanks at the ' feeding stage.' The 

 tanks are supplied with the hatchery water, but exposed to light 

 and air ; every third or fourth day a can of weed, swarming 

 with the larvae of small water-flies, was sent up from the neigh- 

 bouring nurseries, and up to the time of writing, when they are 

 on an average four inches long, there has been scarcely any loss. 

 The temperature of the water was eight degrees lower than that 

 of the nurseries, and the larvae did not live longer than fo-ir or 

 five days ; so that fresh supplies had to be procured, but the 

 fish have never had an atom of any other food. 



The larvae of water-flies and the mature flies themselves, 

 as well as the 6^rt;;/w<^;7' (fresh-water shrimp) and Z////«^ (snails), 

 rnay be transferred to other waters of about the same tempera- 

 ture without difficulty ; and if a large quantity is introduced 

 into suitable waters where there are no fish, sufficient food to 

 rear a great many fry will soon accumulate by reproduction. 

 Watercress is one of the best plants for trout ponds or streams; 

 watercress growers lime their beds to destroy insect life. 



