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bring to the attention of this Society; but it is more 
wide-spread and destructive in its perniciousness than is 
generally known or supposed. There is, in fact, just 
reason to believe that, during the past twelve years, there 
has been a loss of fully ten million rainbow trout eggs to 
the fishculturists of the United States. Had it been 
possible to impregnate these ten million eggs they would 
have had, all things considered, a value of $18,000 to 
$20,000. 
Whilst the trouble has proven insurmountable in 
Michigan, it has been serious in New York, alarming in 
Arkansas, and felt in no small measure in Virginia and 
Missouri. In Wisconsin the hard, distended eggs are 
not strangers (though Mr. Nevins is able to hatch 80 per 
cent.) And, following it Westward, it shows its hydra 
head in Colorado and even in California. 
In his original report of this trouble Mr. Clark says ; 
“Without attempting to account for the failure, I am 
“inclined to think that the fish were overfed, and that 
“the in-flow in their pond gave them a current quite too 
“slow and feeble, resulting for the most part, in great 
“inactivity and in their being in good cordition for 
“market at spawning time. I propose to reduce their food 
“allowance to a minimum and place them in a good current 
“of water.” Future reports do not show that these rem- 
edies were tried, though it is fair to presume they were. 
But, in the United States Fish Commission Report for 
1885, page 126, this statement from Mr. Clark occurs; 
“Tt would seem that the species (zzdeus) will not acclima- 
“tize to the waters of this station (Northville, Michigan).” 
These views of Mr. Clark are here given to call to your 
attention the theories which have been advanced and part- 
lally tried. Based on data which will follow, I believe 
the first two theories, ‘‘over feeding” and ‘ insufficient 
current,” to be erroneous. 
Messrs. Annin, at Caledonia, New York; Monroe 
Green, at Mumford, New York; Mather, at Cold Spring 
