FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 343 



carefully in order to avoid loss. On August 5th, Mr. Brown measured a 

 brook trout of the year 1909, and found it to be 4 J inches long. 



Foreman Burke has had about the same results from all the various 

 eggs received from commercial hatcheries; one of the essentials to success 

 is to ship the eggs before they are too far advanced. He prefers to have 

 the eggs kept very cold but that is because the supply at Fulton Chain 

 hatchery is lake water, which drops to a very low temperature in winter. 



The chin tumor of the brook trout was unknown at the Pleasant Valley 

 Station until 1908, when it broke out with considerable violence and spread 

 rapidly from one pond to another. The source of contagion seemed to 

 be located in the Big Spring Pond. In 1909, this contagion was more 

 observed in brown trout and caused the removal and destruction of all the 

 affected trout and the liberation of the healthy fish. 



It is noteworthy that this disease has appeared in many remote localities 



and in some cases has disappeared without apparent reason. The transfer 



of fish from plank or cement ponds to earth or gravel bottoms has, in some 



cases, brought relief. Occasional victims of this disease have been noticed 



in various hatching establishments, in which no evidence of tumor is now 



present. 



Lake Trout 



The work of collecting eggs of lake trout in Canada was assigned to 

 W. D. Marks, of Old Forge. A permit was obtained through the courtesy 

 of Mr. E. Tinsley, Superintendent, Game and Fisheries of Ontario, for taking 

 trout in the open season. Mr. Marks operated in Owen Sound and the work 

 continued until the end of October, 1909. The cost of the expedition was 

 a little less than $400. The number of cases of eggs was twenty-nine, 

 reported to contain 630 quarts. These cases were sent to Caledonia and 

 were there reported in very bad condition, as the temperature in the boxes 

 was 67 degrees on account of the absence of ice. The mortality in the eggs 

 was very large, so that probably not more than 30 per cent will develop 

 healthy fry. 



An attempt was made to secure eggs at Stony Island in Lake Ontario. 

 Permits were issued for several fishermen to take lake trout for the pur- 

 pose of supplying eggs for the use of the State. Owing to bad weather 

 the season proved a failure. 

 29 



