Conservation Commission. 273 



The Snow Fee a. 

 In early spring, Foreman Davidson finds in the head troughs 

 at the Bath Hatchery enormous numbers of snow fleas. This 

 is one of the spring-tails, or podurans, which are found on the 

 snow. The common snow flea of the United States is Achoreutes 

 nivicola, and it often appears in great numbers. This insect is 

 sometimes a pest where maple sugar is made. The jumping of 

 this flea is accomplished by means of stiff hairs on its under part. 

 The flea can probably do no harm to the trout, and may serve as 

 food for them. 



FISH FOOD. 

 The following species of shells taken from stomachs of white- 

 fish from Canandaigua Lake, 1ST. Y., were identified by Professor 

 W. N". Rankin, of Princeton University: 

 Amnicola limosa (Say) 

 Valv&ta, tricarinata (Say) 

 Pisidium abditumf ( ?) 



The Amnicolas were by far the most abundant of the shells. 

 The largest individual of the genus Pisidium is about one eighth 

 of an inch in length. The other shells are very much smaller. 



A former Fish Commissioner of Vermont, Mr. D. D. Thomas, 

 writes of trout food as follows : 



" In September I commenced using ground meat mixed 

 with what is called Red Dog flour, which is undoubtedly the 

 same as you call mill middlings. I used one part of meat 

 to five parts of flour. This flour costs 1% cents per pound. 

 The results are more than satisfactory. If you give it a 

 trial, you will be pleased, not only in the great saving of 

 expense, but also in the health of adult trout. I was at the 

 Minnesota State Hatchery at St. Paul in September and 

 Mr. Fullerton told me he was using the same food with good 

 results. " 

 Of course, this mixture was cooked in the same way followed 

 in preparing Lane's Food and other mixtures of meal and meat. 



FISH ENEMIES. 



An examination of the Lamprey work in Oneida Lake shows 

 the extent of the destruction of food and game fish by that para- 



