21 



It is important that the foot of the fishway be in a deep 

 basin. If the only basin below the dam is too near it to be 

 reached by a fishway as shown in the diagram, one may be 

 made to be run down part of the way and then be turned so 

 as to reach the basin, similar to the turn often made with a 

 flight of stairs. 



The question may arise whether the fish now in our streams 

 may not devour the young shad and salmon so as to exter- 

 minate them or prevent their rapid increase. We have fears 

 that the bull pout (pimelodus vulgaris) may destroy many 

 of the shad spawn. But the salmon spawn, deposited in 

 the clear, cold water, will be likely to escape them, as the pout 

 seldom frequents such spots. 



The pickerel {esox reticulatus) is a very voracious fish, 

 and will doubtless destroy some of the young shad and sal- 

 mon. But they rarely ever run up swift running rivulets 

 where the young salmon are bred, therefore the latter would 

 be comparatively safe. The spawning season for the picker- 

 el is in the spring, just about the time that the young salmon 

 have absorbed the substance of their umbilical sac and want 

 food. Being comparatively safe from the attacks of the 

 pickerel, (for they like other fish will eat but little or nothing 

 during the spawning period,) the young salmon fry will eat 

 the pickerel spawn or the young pickerel fry as they are 

 hatched. 



The black sucker (catastomas nigricans) will probably 

 eat thousands of shad spawn, but as a compensation for this, 

 the young sucker fry will furnish excellent food for the shad 

 and salmon. The salmon spawn will be comparatively safe 

 from the attacks of suckers. It is a true saying that "big 

 fish will eat little ones." We must expect this. We must 

 not count upon more than one full grown fish for every ten 

 spawn. But even one fish for every fifty will, in our opinion, 

 yield a greater percentage of food for the capital invested 

 than from any other source in the State. 



