Fish Culture in Inland Wafers 239 



1889. He adds, ' The pike is a voracious fish and destroys every- 

 thing within its reach in the form of animal hfe ; other fish, water 

 birds, and mammals are consumed in enormous numbers. From its 

 concealment, like a beast of prey, it darts out suddenly on its victims 

 and seldom misses its mark.' 



" Dr. Needham's report confirms these observations. It is believed 

 that the pike consumes twenty per cent of its own weight in fish daily. 

 It is a prolific breeder, producing according to its weight anywhere 

 from 50,000 to 600,000 eggs. 



" Spawning takes place soon after the ice leaves the lake at which 

 time the large pike may be seen lying close to the surface over a 

 shallow weedy bottom. 



" It is contrary to general practice to afford protection to northern 

 pike in waters inhabited by lake trout and black bass, but some of 

 the guides stand for its protection, and assert that neither bass nor 

 lake trout are found in the stomachs of pike when caught. The 

 writer is of the opinion that the pike destroys many smallmouth bass, 

 and may be very destructive to the lake trout in winter when both 

 species are inclined to extend their range. It undoubtedly is a factor 

 in the decimation of the bullheads. 



" In view of the foregoing it is perhaps fortunate that an epidemic 

 has been raging among the pike, an epidemic said to have reached 

 its height in 1919, when the number of dead pike found floating 

 upon the surface of the lake was very great. 



" It is recommended, that in view of the reputation of this fish, a 

 modification of the special closed season on pike have consideration ; 

 or better still, that laws for their protection in Lake George be 

 repealed." 



Mr. Titcomb's reference to the egg-producing capacity of the pike 

 is misleading, and Dr. Needham's description of the natural life- 

 cycle of a generation of lake trout is particularly pertinent in this 

 connection : 



" Nature's method of propagating a species is indicated in our 

 diagram, fig. 22 [not reproduced]. Here is seen a pair of adult 

 fishes, be they lake trout or any other sort ; it is the same for all. 

 They produce a vast number of eggs, many of which are lost, while 

 others hatch into fry. The fry are set adrift in a rough world in 

 the midst of enemies and competitors, and many of them are killed 

 or eaten, but some survive and grow to be fingerHngs. So the 

 process of elimination goes on, ever fewer attaining to larger growth, 

 until at last two survive and lay eggs for another generation. The 

 number of young produced is proportioned to the vicissitudes of Hfe ; 

 there are only enough to insure the continuance of the species under 

 natural conditions. This is what is known as the natural balance. 

 It is one of the marvelous phenomena of the Hving world. It is 

 true of every species in wild nature. There may be occasional ups 

 and downs; but if we consider how things go through a series of 

 years, we can readily observe that there are about as many indi- 

 viduals of any wild species through one decade as through another. 



