‘ 
130 Thirty-fifth Annual Meeting 
DISCUSSION. 
Mr. Atkins: (Before reading paper.) When I began these 
experiments in 1905 I did not expect the results which I have 
found, and I hope you will bear in mind that I tried to be im- 
partial and have everything accurately done, and have tried to be 
fair, tried not to warp the evidence in any way. I read a paper 
last vear on the subject and now I have something to add. 
During the reading of the paper Mr. Atkins made the follow- 
ing comments. 
(Showing diagram of size of Atlantic salmon.) 
It made no difference in the size of fish in October whether 
they fasted five or twenty days. So that the early and continu- 
ous feeding had apparently done the fish no good. IT would not 
say that it had not done it any good but so far as the weight in 
October showed it had not done any good. 
(Showing diagrams of Atlantic salmon of various sizes re- 
sulting from various periods of fasting. ) 
The control lot of silver salmon was considerably larger than 
any of the diagrams show. 
(Exhibiting diagrams of lake trout.) 
These lake trout were fed for six days before the fasting be- 
gan and then they were made to fast five days, nine days, four- 
teen days and nineteen days, and the result was that in October 
the survivors did not differ a great deal in weight. This is aver- 
age size, and the heaviest was in the case of those that had fasted 
fourteen days. 
(Showing diagram of brook trout.) 
Now, here are brook trout in the same way, showing five days, 
fourteen days and nineteen days fasting. 
Dr. Bean: I would like to ask whether or not the starved 
fish which were submitted to a test of nineteen days, took foocl 
readily after the starvation period, when it was offered to them. 
Mr. Atkins: Yes, in every case, just as soon as the fish were 
offered food they appeared to be entirely ready to take it, and in 
a few days, in every case, they appeared to be picking up. 
Dr. Bean: Then these exper:ments would lead the way to 
very important practical results, namely, the weeding out of 
