368 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. . 



once had about 130,000 young large mouthed black bass in May or early 

 June. The bass were regularly fed, and the pond also contained a great 

 many little minnows and sunfish which were freely eaten ; yet in November 

 when the pond was drawn down and the bass were removed for distribution 

 only about 30,000 remained and of these there were 500 that weighed nearly 

 one-half pound apiece while the rest averaged scarcely more than two ounces 

 each. Eight bass were afterwards confined in a tank at the station, one 

 of them slightly larger than the rest. In about one week the biggest one 

 had devoured all of its companions. 



Pike perch must be planted soon after leaving the egg or they will 

 destroy one another at a frightful rate. As many as a dozen have frequently 

 been observed telescoped one behind the other in an endless but fatal chain 



Maskalonge at Chautauqua Lake have the same deplorable habit and 

 must be liberated as soon as they can fairly swim. 



In marine fish culture the lobster has an equally bad record, as it begins 

 to destroy its fellows as soon as it leaves the egg. 



Aigrator^ Habits 



Certain fish, for example, whitefish and smelt, are naturally inclined 

 to wander away from their customary spawning grounds and especially 

 l when the same places are netted year after year. This habit sometimes 

 causes delay or partial failure in the egg collecting season. 



Fisl) Parasites 



One of the most universal and deadly parasites of fish and fish eggs 

 is the common fungus of the fresh waters (Saprolegnia) , generally known 

 as the salmon fungus. This pest reproduces both sexually and non-sexually, 

 and it attacks living tissues as well as dead organic matter. Its ravages 

 are not diminished by removing all the diseased fish in a body of water, 

 because its spores are almost constantly present in .streams and an epi- 

 demic is liable to break out at any time. Salt water kills this fungus and, if 

 properly employed, it does fish no injury. 



Another very troublesome parasite of a different nature is frequently 

 found in the gills of brook trout in some Adirondack waters. This is a fish 



