FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 207 



com meal, middlings, etc. Among the natural foods will be found minnows, 

 shells, fish eggs, crustaceans, worms, insect larvae, etc. 



The main dependence at several of the trout stations is the liver of 

 beef and sheep, and the lights, hearts, etc., of various domestic animals. 

 Small fish either of the minnow family or of some marine family, like that 

 containing the killies, are utilized to a considerable extent. The small eggs 

 of certain fishes, especially herring, cod, and haddock, serve a very useful 

 purpose. Sometimes the suited eggs of the haddock or herring are taken 

 by the young fry in preference to all other forms of food. 



Many difficulties have arisen in the early period of feeding of brook 

 trout, brown trout and other species, and considerable losses have occurred 

 from the failure to feed. Sometimes the brown trout can not be induced 

 to take liver, but they feed readily upon the fresh water shrimp, which is 

 one of the best natural foods of trout. Where salt water minnows like 

 killies and silversides can be secured, they prove extremely valuable sources 

 of supply. This is more especially observed at Cold Spring Harbor, Long 

 Island; but minnows have been introduced, as stated above, at some of 

 the other trout stations, and it is hoped that they will take the place 

 of liver. 



Whenever trout have access to ample quantities of natural food, and 

 especially crustacean food and insect larvae, their growth is marvelously 

 rapid. Illustrating this fact, the following paper by Dr. Samuel B. Ward, 

 of Albany, will be found interesting and valuable: 



Unusually Rapid Growth of Brook Trout. 



Preliminary Note by Samuel B. Ward, M. D., and Erastus Coming. 



In January, 1903, three gentlemen residing in the United States, rented 

 from the Canadian government a preserve in the Laurentian mountains, 

 about twelve miles west of the village of St. Urbain and forty miles from 

 Murray Bay. Part of the agreement with the government was that we 

 should employ and pay a guardian for the preserve, the appointment to 

 be subject to the government's approval and his reports to be made to 

 them. We employed a man who was born and brought up in the Lake St. 

 John region, one-quarter Indian and three-quarters French, a man of mag- 



