LXXVIII REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



yelk bag' is absorbed, or to keep them until tbey have attained consid- 

 erable size, and can better protect themselves against their enemies. 

 When, however, fish are cultivated on the scale adopted by the Fish 

 Commission, it is almost impossible to find the necessary inclosures 

 where they would have sufficient room, or to supply the food that they 

 would consume. For if 100 fish would devour an ounce of food each 

 day, 1,000,000 would consume about 600 pounds, or 108,000 pounds in 

 six months. The estimate in this case is probably much below the 

 actual figures. 



Another point is as to the length of time it should take to hatch out 

 the eggs, whether it would be better to use warm water from springs to 

 accelerate this result or to retard it by applying the colder water of the 

 lakes. This question has not yet been satisfactorily decided, the action, 

 of the fish commissioners of the States varying in this respect. 



/. The Brook Trout (iSalvelinus fontinalis). 



The Northville Station. — During the season between October 10 and 

 ]S[ovember 21, there were taken from the creeks near the hatchery 200 

 brook trout, of which 33 were found to be ripe females, and which 

 yielded 18,000 eggs. 



There were in the station some 10,000 fry, 2,000 yearlings, 500 two- 

 year-old trout, and 500 three aijd four-year-olds. From these fish a 

 large number of eggs were taken. Of these, 25,000 were sent to Ger- 

 many, 150,000 to Washington, and smaller numbers to various State 

 hatcheries. The eggs taken from the wild trout were hatched, and the 

 fry returned to the streams. 



Ten thousand trout eggs from the 1882 stock were forwarded, January 

 13, to E. G. Blackford for transmission to Bogota, U. S. of Colombia. 



(J. The Lake Trout iSalvelinus namaijcush). 



The Northville station. — A large number of lake trout were captured 

 in Lake Erie, the best days being early in November. The fish spawned 

 this season much later than usual. Although no eggs were taken after 

 November 18, a good many fish were reported as yet unripe. There 

 were 280,000 eggs taken, of which 25,000 were sent to Germany and 

 100,000 to Washington, 'iiiiere were also 105,000 eggs at Northville, 

 and the young distributed by car No. 2 to Strawberry Lake, Star Lake, 

 and Crooked Lake, in Northern Michigan. The remainder were de- 

 l)Osited in Arnold's Lake, in Washtenaw County. 



The lake trout promises to be an important inhabitant of cool lakes, 

 and even of flowing streams. The young exchanged with fish-cultur- 

 ists in France and Germany have succeeded very well, and give great 

 satisfaction. Numerous letters are on file in the offico of the Commis- 

 sion making grateful acknowledgment of the favor. 



h. The Saibling (Salmo salvelinus). 



Among the most highly esteemed species of the trout family of Eu- 

 rope is the saibling, known in England as char and in France as ombre 



