RANGELEY LAKES, MAINE: FISHES, ANGLING, AND FISH CULTURE. 577 



in length and never reaches a greater length than 3 inches. In other fresh waters the 

 fish grows to a length of 15 inches or more and a weight of at least a pound. There 

 are also many lakes or ponds where intermediate sizes as adult fish occur, and some 

 where there seem to be two distinct adult sizes. Whether these are distinct species or 

 not has not been determined. Many years ago Cope described two Maine fresh-water 

 smelts as distinct species — one, Osmerus abbottii, found in Cobosseecontee Lake, the 

 other in Wilton Pond. The latter, from its translucence, was named Osmerus spectrum. 

 No other fresh-water smelts have received specific names, and owing to the uncer- 

 tainty regarding which of these two names, if either, should be used for the Rangeley 

 smelt, the name of the marine form is employed. 



According to the statement of a resident of Rangeley, the first plant of smelt was 

 in 1891, but the first and only record for the introduction of smelts into Rangeley 

 Lakes appears in the State fish commissioners report for 1895. In answer to an inquiry 

 by the writer, L. T. Carleton, then chairman of the commissioners of inland fisheries 

 and game, wrote : 



Replying to yours of recent date regarding the origin of smelts in Rangeley Lakes, I beg to say 

 that my former associate, Mr. Stanley, writes me as follows: "The first smelts were put in Rangeley 

 Lake from Weld Pond. They were all small not more than 3 inches long when fully grown. Later 

 they were introduced into Mooselucmagtmtic from Swan Lake near Belfast. They were of a variety 



Fig. 21.— Smelt (Osmerus Tnordai). 



that grew from 3 to 10 inches in length. None of the large variety were put in Rangeley, the upper 

 lake. The eggs were gathered promiscuously from streams where smelts spawned. They appeared 

 in considerable numbers within four years. They are now plenty in all the lakes from Rangeley down. ' ' 

 (March 13, 1907.) 



The smelt's food varies somewhat in character according to the size of the fish. 

 Large smelts have been found to feed to a great extent upon smaller fishes, particularly 

 their own young. Small smelts subsist largely upon entomostracans. 



The breeding time in some places begins early in March, even before the ice is 

 out of the lake. At other places it occurs in April and in May. At the spawning 

 time the smelt usually ascends brooks, although in some lakes shoal water along shore 

 is the spawning resort. In the Rangeley Lakes the smelts ascend brooks, usually 

 soon after the lakes are free from ice. In 1904 the Maine Woods of May 4 stated that 

 on Saturday the smelts were reported running up Dodge Stream "in bushels," and in 

 the same paper. May 17, 1907, the following appeared: 



Smelts are reported to be very much in evidence in Rangeley Stream between Rangeley Lake 

 and Mooselucmaguntic Lake. They have been seen in great numbers near the Oquossoc Angling 

 Association Clubhouse at Indian Rock. Himdreds of them have been caught this spring. 



