CONSEKVATION COMMISSION. 203 



The frog and the toad are not useful additions to the fauna 

 of trout lakes, and the newt, or so-called lizard, has very doubtful 

 value; but it may not do any injury. 



FISH FOOD* 



In restricted ponds we give our fish beef liver ground to the 

 proper consistency, that is, very fine for the young fish and 

 coarser for the large ones. The hearts of domestic animals are 

 also used for food in the same way. Minnows and suckers 

 ground up fine are extensively employed for trout food. The 

 best of all the foods for trout are insects, their larvae, small shells, 

 crawfish, etc., which are found in good trout streams. Certain 

 waters contain small crustaceans, including the so-called fresh- 

 water shrimp, and many smaller forms which are excellent for 

 trout. 



Preference is given in the State hatcheries to sheep's plucks 

 for feeding fish, but hog plucks have been used successfully by 

 noted breeders. 



Important trout foods are snails, dragon fiies, May flies and 

 caddice flies. Caddice cases and larvae are found very generally 

 around the shores of some lakes and their small tributaries. They 

 stand high in importance as trout food. The cases are readily 

 regurgitated after their contents have been absorbed by the fish. 

 The larvse and the older stages up to the perfect form of the fly 

 are easily taken during their season. 



The snails, of which the Planorbis is now most abundant in 

 some lakes, are excellent food for trout. 



Mr. L. M. Deming, of Edmeston, N. Y., sent to the Commis- 

 sion, on May 25, 1911, a snail which forms an important part 

 of the food of brook trout in a pond belonging to him. He 

 writes that he caught four trout from S 1 ^ to 11 inches long on 

 May 25th. Their stomachs all contained bugs, insect larvse and 

 from 5 to 16 snails. A specimen of the shell referred to was 

 identified at the State Museum as a common species of Planorbis. 

 Mr. Deming has found a great many large and small shells in 

 the stomachs of his trout, and he writes that the trout feed ex- 

 tensively on snails and grow very fast. One of the trout exam- 



