FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 313 



can not be run at present at one-half of its capacity, but this interruption 

 through epidemics will be more than made good by increased work at 

 Caledonia, Bemus Point, Upper Saranac and elswhere. 



The Chautauqua hatchery has been greatly improved by the intro- 

 duction of a water supply from the lake, but it can be still further improved 

 by the purchase of additional ground for ponds in which to rear black bass. 

 The artesian water is excellent although not sufficient in quantity to do 

 very great work with brook trout and related species. A vast amount of 

 useful work could be done at that station if collections were systematically 

 and intelligently made in Lake Erie at Dunkirk and other points adjacent 

 thereto. I am satisfied that lake herring eggs could be obtained in large 

 numbers and certainly there is no question that blue pike could be collected 

 in sufficient quantities to provide eggs for more than one hatchery. I am 

 not satisfied that lake trout eggs cannot be secured from the reefs near 

 Dunkirk. I know that this would involve some difficulty and that storms 

 are likely to interrupt the operations ; but persistent effort would undoubt- 

 edlv bring better results than we have thus far reached. 



The Caledonia station, thanks to the numerous improvements made 

 within the last few years, is increasing its efficiency constantly. If Mr. 

 Redband could secure from some source a sufficient number of lake trout 

 eggs, the station would soon reach a high standard of work. The causes 

 which have operated unfavorably to the rearing of brook trout for stock 

 fish at Caledonia seem to have more or less disappeared, and there are now 

 at the station some very fine looking brook trout. One of the most obvious 

 sources of loss at the station is the gill louse introduced from Adirondack 

 waters. I think this is so much reduced in numbers now as to give very 

 little trouble. The cement work in the shape of embankments, walls and 

 dams at this station certainly reflects very great credit upon Foreman 

 Redband and his assistants. 



It is gratifying to note the rapid increase in the output of brook trout 

 from the Adirondack station, both in 1908 and 1909. It seems now, with 

 the facilities for pumping spring water into the outdoor races, that brook 

 trout can be carried to fmgerling size with much greater certaintv than in 

 former years. If these Adirondack stations could now obtain a sufficient 

 number of lake trout eggs for hatchery purposes, they would add very 



