536 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



evidently lived upon "ground feed and the variety of infusoria which are so plentiful 

 in the lakes." Mr. Whitney, in a letter to the same paper in 1900, explained that 

 "ground feed" of the lakes was "an important element with all fish, composed of insec- 

 tivorous varieties and largely of viscous matter which settles profusely. " 



The stomach contents of some small bluebacks of Rainbow Lake consisted of a 

 large quantity of insect larvae and entomostracans. These fish were taken in the latter 

 part of the winter by bait fishing through the ice. 



Capture. — George Shepard Page, in 1874 (loc. cit.), wrote that notwithstanding the 

 great numbers of anglers who have frequented the Rangeleys during recent years, fishing 

 all portions of the lakes with all manner of bait on the surface and down in the deep, no 

 one had ever caught a blueback and none had ever been seen at the surface. 



E. S. Merrill (loc. cit.), stated that his party did take a few with bait in Rangeley 

 Stream. 



The Maine commissioners' report for 1874 said that now and then in deep fishing 

 with bait in the lakes one was caught and that exceptionally in the breeding season one 

 would take a bait, but it was not considered a "biting or game fish," although he had 

 caught a bushel and a half in a day with baited hook. They were caught mostly with 

 dip nets. 



However, the report for 1878 stated that the fish haunted the deep water in ponds, 

 where they could be freely taken in summer with baited hook in about 40 feet of water. 



Capt. Barker (loc. cit.) said that sometimes a blueback would take a bait in deep 

 water, but never knew of one taking the fly. 



The usual method of capture was, as stated by Mr. Stanley, by means of dip nets 

 while the fish were ascending the brooks in October. 



Mr. Rich" said that in 1844 they were taken in large quantities by the Rangeley 

 people, though they never fished for them with a baited hook, but either netted or speared 

 them. Mr. Rich said that he had been informed that the fish could sometimes be taken 

 with a baited hook, but that he never succeeded in catching one or even attracting their 

 attention. He described the method of fishing* in words to the effect that improvised 

 nets consisting of bags with ash bows and handles were set in sluices or fishways con- 

 structed of rocks in such a way that the fish were guided into the nets. In this way, he 

 said, several bushels would be secured by each man in a night, which was the only time 

 they could be caught, as they ran up at night and back before morning. 



The various communications are somewhat contradictory regarding the presence of 

 fish in the brooks during the day. It is probable, however, that while some may have 

 returned to the lake during the same night many did remain for a longer dme, but being 

 for the most part concealed, as one person stated, the impression was given that the 

 brook was vacated. Those who caught the fish with baited hook in the brooks at this 

 season undoubtedly took them in the daytime. 



Regarding the capture of some by hook in the spawning season, it may be said that 

 this is not improbable. However, those caught by this means were probably fish that 

 had finished spawning and had lingered in the stream, as is the habit of a number of sal- 

 monoid fishes, especially the males, and which have been known at such times to take 

 a baited hook which they would not notice prior to spawning. 



« Forest and Stream. Jan. 4, 1883. b Forest and Stream. Jan. 4 and Apr. 4. 1883. 



