40 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



statioii. Another j)eciiliarity in connection with them was the remark- 

 able variation in the size of the fingerlings. The}^ were fed on an 

 emnlsion of liver, obtained by grinding it as fine as possible, strain- 

 ing, then mixing with water and allowing it to stand for the coarser 

 portions to settle. The liquid portion of the food thus obtained was 

 fed to the grayling and the settlings utilized as food for the trout fry. 

 At the close of the year 73 of this lot remained. 



During the summer and fall field collecting stations were estab- 

 lished at Darling Pond, Groton; Lake Mitchell, Sharon; Lake Dun- 

 more at Salisbury, Big and Little Ponds in Averill, and also at the 

 State hatchery, Roxburj^ 



Darling Pond, where operations have been successfully conducted 

 for several years, changed ownership recentl}^, and a contract was 

 made with the present owners whereby thej^ are to receive one half 

 the eggs taken there and the Fish Commission the other half. The 

 trap was put in place on July 25, but at that time the stream feeding 

 the pond was nearly dry on account of the long-continued drought. 

 The catch of fish was far below that of any previous season, and 

 many that were taken in nets below the trap appeared to be clearing 

 off spawning-beds. The total number of eggs secured was 390,828, of 

 which 172,828 were lost in incubation. Half the balance were turned 

 over to the owners of the lake and the remainder were shipped to St. 

 Johnsbury. Besides reducing the catch, the drought tended to impair 

 the quality of the eggs secured. Its effects were very noticeable on 

 the spawning fish, whether detained in pens or having free range. 

 Trout will not spawn naturally when the water is low. A few strag- 

 glers ascend the stream, and if caught and retained in the pens they 

 will ripen in time, but the percentage of eggs saved is never large. 

 The majority of the fish swim around the mouths of the streams 

 awaiting an opportunity to ascend on a rise of water. If a sudden 

 rain falls and causes even a temporar}^ rise it will start them, and 

 apparentl}^ has an immediate effect upon the eggs and milt. 



At the field stations, for rough measurement, an 8-ounce tin dipper 

 is used, it being necessar}^ to establish a measure for each stripping, 

 owing to the great variation in the size of the eggs. The largest ones 

 are obtained at the first stripping and the smallest at the last. At 

 Darling Pond the first stripping yielded 2,800 eggs to the ounce and the 

 last 4,500, the intermediate ten strippings varying between these two 

 measures, the number per ounce becoming greater at each consecutive 

 stripping. 



The Avork at Lake Mitchell was very satisfactory and more eggs 

 were taken than in any previous season, notwithstanding the excessive 

 drought. The good results of stocking this lake were ver}^ apparent 

 this year in the largely increased take of fish, 3,136 being captured, 

 1,691 being females. During the season 726,649 eggs were obtained 

 from 1,339 females; 355,649 died during incubation or were not ferti- 

 lized, and the remaining 371,000 were transferred to St. Johnsbury. 



