SALMON AND TROUT CULTURE. 461 
cases unavoidably) Ai//ed by ‘starvation’ either before or after 
turning out, it would be impossible to calculate ! 
My own fish are sent off to the ‘ Nurseries’ on the first signs 
of their requiring food, which they show by rising from the 
bottom of the hatching trays into about mid-water, balancing 
themselves there, with heads against the current, and turning 
at any small particle they see passing. It appears as if the first 
good meal a young trout gets may be compared to the ‘ Nest- 
egg’ which a man is advised to put by—it is often the making 
of him! 
Unlike most other very young animals, they seem suddenly 
to acquire the movements and habits of old fish, and to pass 
from the helpless ‘alevin’ stage into maturity in all except 
bulk. 
Some interesting experiments have been tried in my garden, 
where there are several tanks twelve feet by six feet and seven 
inches deep. Last spring a few (150) grayling and trout fry 
were put into one of these tanks at the ‘feeding stage.’ The 
tanks are supplied with the hatchery water, but exposed to light 
and air; every third or fourth day a can of weed, swarming 
with the larvee of small water-flies, was sent up from the neigh- 
bouring nurseries, and up to the time of writing, when they are 
on an average four inches long, there has been scarcely any loss. 
The temperature of the water was eight degrees lower than that 
of the nurseries, and the larve did not live longer than four or 
five days ; so that fresh supplies had to be procured, but the 
fish have never had an atom of any other food. 
The larvz of water-flies and the mature flies themselves, 
as well asthe Gammari (fresh-water shrimp) and Zimae (snails), 
may be transferred to other waters of about the same tempera- 
ture without difficulty; and if a large quantity is introduced 
into suitable waters where there are no fish, sufficient food to 
rear a great many fry will soon accumulate by reproduction, 
Watercress is one of the best plants for trout ponds or streams; 
watercress growers lime their beds to destroy insect life. 
