228 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



No correlation of the results of this work with other conditions 

 in the lakes has heen made, ■ and the relation to the fish forms of 

 the lake appears not to have been considered. So far then, while of 

 great scientific interest and value, the practical application of the 

 results of the studies to fislieries problems, of which thev are 

 capable, remains to be made. 



With the establishment of the State College of Forestry- at 

 Syracuse, a new agency concerned with the investigation of wild 

 life of the forests and forest waters was initiated. The first pub- 

 lication on wild life was a study made of a worm disease of the 

 Adirondack perch by Dr. W. M. Smallwood ("14), at that time of 

 the State College of Forestr}'. In the summer of 191 5 the College 

 began a general, systematic survey of the biological and fishery 

 problems of Oneida Lake, with the aim in view of working out a 

 system or policy of fish culture for this lake. 



Only a part of the results are yet in print. The first publication 

 of this series was a report by Baker ('16), on the relation of 

 Mollusca to the fish and other animals of the lake. As a result of the 

 examination of the stomach contents of the fish, it was learned that 

 Mollusca were a much more important element in the food of fish 

 of this lake than could have been anticipated. Preliminary studies 

 were made of the relative abundance of mollusks in the various 

 bottom, conditions of the lake. Baker concludes with regard to fish 

 culture ('16, pp. 315, 316) : " It is the culture of these animals that 

 demands the greatest amount of reliable information. In the past 

 some of the fish culture has been haphazard, fish fry and fingerlings 

 being introduced into bodies of water without knowing w'hether the 

 natural conditions were favorable or the food supply sufficient and 

 of the right variety' for their growth and multiplication. Before a 

 planting is undertaken, it would seem the part of wisdom to know 

 the food habits of the fish to be introduced and the general biology 

 of the aquatic medium into which the fishes are to be placed. Thus 

 we should know that the body of water contains plants for protec- 

 tion and suitable grounds for breeding, food sufficient in quantity 

 and of the right kind, and the presence or absence of natural enemies 

 w^hich might seriously afifect the increase of the planted fish. In 

 other words there must be as nearly as possible a balance between 

 the vegetation — the fish — and the food supply. Fish will be present 

 and wall persist in a body of water in proportion as the food supply- 

 is abimdant or meagre and as the enemies are abundant or few 

 in number. . . . There should be made a series of year-round 

 observations on the aquatic life of Oneida Lake. These should be 

 by months and should include the winter season as well as the more 

 favorable summer, spring and fall seasons. That the fish life in the 

 lake is more or less active through the winter season is known, but 

 what these animals use for food is not well known." 



