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Why should they not be protected from destruction? 
Artificial hatching has so far been successful so that there 
need be no limit to the production of graceful fishes that 
may swarm our streams and reward the patient fisherman 
for his hours of anxious waiting and his days of disap- 
pointment. 
And now a few words concerning the diseases of sal- 
mon: Apart from all other enemies to which salmon 
are subjected, even in the pure waters of Alaska, nearly 
all are infested with a parasite, of which collections were 
made by M. McDonald, United States Fish Commis- 
sioner, who was appointed to visit and investigate the 
fisheries of Alaska; his report states that they were not 
able to classify the species, therefore it cannot be deter- 
mined whether they are hurtful to the fish or not. Pro- 
bably in artificial hatching the fish may be freed from the 
parasite, and then by comparison it can be found whether 
they are detrimental to the quality of the flesh or not. 
The Encyclopaedia Britannica notes a peculiar fungoid 
growth in the salmon of the rivers in Great Britain 
which has destroyed many of the fish since its discovery 
in 1877. I find no notice of a similar disease having 
been found among the salmon of this country, but it 
would be well if all who are interested in pisciculture 
would watch and report the first appearance of any fun- 
gus growth among their stock. 
The disease takes the form of ulcerations, which eat 
away the skin, producing inflammation and sloughing, 
bleeding sores. By examination it is proved that the 
fungus is the cause, and not the result of any other 
disease. 
The fungus bears such close resemblance to the sapro- 
legnie ferax which is found upon dead house-flies and 
other decaying animal or vegetable matter, that it has 
been mentioned as identical with it; but it is not fully 
proven; neither is there proof that it propagates so 
quickly among the salmon as to become epidemic. 
