THE SMELTS 
293 
found, and a few dead and dying smelts were observed. The eggs were all fertile. 
Atkins stated that although the brook was muddy that day he believed it was nat- 
urally very clear. 
Belgrade Lalces . — According to Atkins, information received on April 19, 1868, 
was to the effect that in Messalonskee Lake the smelts usually run about the 10th to 
the 15th of April, sometimes earlier and sometimes later; they contine to run about 
a week. The first appearance in the brooks this year was on the night of April 12, 
and on the 19th they were about done. 
On April 15, 1869, only 10 males and no females were caught in one brook; they 
were the first to appear in that paticular brook but they had run in another brook 
on the 12th. This season was said to be about 10 days behind the previous season. 
In one stream on the 16th a few, mostly males, were caught. It was thought that 
the lateness of the season was due to high water in the streams, which overflowed 
their banks. On April 15 it was stated that there was more than a foot of water all 
over the fields. In another brook scarcely any smelts were taken until the night of 
the 18th, when one man got about half a bushel, and about a bushel in all were taken. 
In another brook the fish were said to be scarce and a catch of four dozen comprised 
more males than females. On the night of April 20 the brooks were still very high 
and only a few fish were caught. On April 21 it had rained nearly all day and the 
brooks very high. It cleared in the evening but only two fish were caught in one 
brook, but in another many were taken. One informant told Atkins that smelt did 
not run after 9 o’clock. 
On April 15, 1875, Atkins fished in Tilsons or Palmers Brook at North Belgrade 
during a heavy rain beginning at 9 p. m. and stopping at 3 a. m. the following 
morning. Six “ drives ” at intervals of one hour and one-half hour yielded 94 smelts, 
of which 68 were males and 26 females. On the night of the 17th, in the same brook, 
four men got only one smelt up to 10 p. m. and then left. Later Atkins heard that 
on Saturday about 40 smelts were caught, and on the night of the 18th 247 were 
taken, which were said to comprise many more females than males 
On April 19, in the same brook, three “drives” one and one-half and two hours 
apart yielded 83 smelts, 46 of which were males and 37 females. On the night of 
April 21, in the same stream, 250 smelts were said to have been taken, and of 36 fish 
bought by Atkins 7 were males and 29 females. 
On the night of April 22, in the same brook, two drives were made between 8.30 
p. m. and midnight and 34 smelts were caught, 17 of which were males and 17 females. 
Some were ripe and a few spent. In another brook (Eldreds) on the same night 300 
smelts were caught, while in another only 45 fish were taken. 
Great Pond . — On May 6, 1875, Atkins found the pond about three-fourths covered 
with ice. About 10.30 a. m. he found the temperature in Eldreds Brook to be 45° 
F. Smelt eggs were thick at the mouth of the brook and for about 7 or 8 rods and 
some at possibly 10 rods or more from the pond. No eggs were observed in the pond, 
and a little to one side of the mouth of the brook in the pond and in the brook they 
stuck to stones, sticks, leaves, and moss; to the latter better than to anything else. 
He said that it was a moss that grew abundantly on the shores of the brook, especially 
some distance up. Atkins judged that in the 7 rods of the lower part of the brook, 
44699 — 27 20 
