39 
The ancient Romans had their pampered eels, and may 
not we have our pampered trout if we like? Are not 
frozen fish better than no fish? As well need we distress 
ourselves that everyone cannot have fish right out of the 
sea! Certainly, also, if the cultivated trout is so easily 
distinguishable from the wild, as is generally alleged, 
there should be no difficulty of providing adequate safe- 
guards against the violation of the laws protecting wild 
trout. 
It should be remembered, at all events, that whatever 
will demonstrate the economic value of fishculture is the 
strongest possible argument, and the most potent influ- 
ence, in its promotion. 
One of the anomalies of the trout culture of to-day is the 
division of sentiment regarding the planting of yearlings 
and fry. It isclaimed on the one hand that the planting 
of yearlings is much the more efficient method and 
instances are brought forward where repeated plantings 
of fry have failed to produce an effect on streams, 
whereas they have finally been successfully stocked with 
small plantings of yearlings. 
The arguments in favor of planting yearlings are that 
being grown to a length of three to five inches they are 
better able to escape their enemies and to protect them- 
selves against the Cottoids (millers’-thumbs and darters) 
infesting all rapid-running streams, where they harbor 
under the stones. There are also crayfish and large 
insect larve, such as the “helgramite” or ‘dobson”’ 
(larvee of Corydalis Cornutus), which will destroy the 
fry as they take shelter under the stones. 
Turn over the stones in a trout-brook, and small fish 
(Cottozds) will be seen to dart to shelter under other 
stones. These exist in great numbers in all such streams 
-but escape observation except of the collector, They 
will destroy fry as soon as deposited. Not so the year- 
lings which are able to turn the tables on them and to 
devour at least the smaller of, them. Many experiences 
