FISHERIES OF LAKE ONTARIO. 
199 
North Atlantic consists of small shrimps, about half an inch long, mostly belonging 
to the genus Mysis. Investigations recently made in the deep waters of lakes Superior 
and Michigan had disclosed the existence of the same shrimp at a depth below 25 
fathoms, where it constitutes, to a great extent, the food of the whitefish. The pro- 
fessor called attention to the fact that the gastric juice of fish acts after their death 
and this accounts for finding so little in stomachs of fishes which feed on small, soft 
organisms, unless examined immediately after being caught. After a few hours, only 
a microscopic examination would demonstrate on what a fish feeds. The occurrence 
of this small shrimp in the larger lakes is the guaranty that salmon will thrive there, 
and when the fish descend the rivers to the lakes they are practically in the ocean. 
In an important article on obstructions to the ascent of fish in rivers, printed in 
the Beport of the U. S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for 1872-73, Dr. M. C. 
Edmunds, of Vermont, recounts his observations in the St. Lawrence Basin, under- 
taken at the request of the late Prof. Baird, in 1872. This inquiry, although made 
twenty years ago, may appropriately be alluded to in this connection, since it covered 
Lake Ontario and related to the causes which had operated to render the salmon a 
rare species in the lake fisheries even at that time. The investigation included an 
examination of all the streams on the southern shore of the lake formerly frequented by 
salmon. That portion of the paper pertaining to Lake Ontario is here quoted in full : 
The salmon formerly were very plenty along the southeast shore of the St. Lawrence, inhabiting 
the lower reaches of the Chateaugay, St. Regis, Racquet, and Grass rivers, emptying into the St. Law- 
rence within the Canadian Dominion, as also the Oswegatchie in the State of New York. Of these 
streams I took hut little notice, hut passed on to the inspection of the rivers immediately debouching 
into Lake Ontario proper. Of these, first in order I inspected the Black River and Chaumont, both of 
which I found to have been formerly inhabited by the salmon. Neither of these rivers at the present 
time otters any inducements for the introduction of the salmon by reason of high and impassable dams. 
Both of these streams at their outlets into the lake are susceptible of being made quite profitable fields 
for salmon-breeding could the trap weirs and pound nets be permanently excluded; but these are so 
plenty and the fishermen so lawless that it would be useless to begin any experiments here. 
My attention was directed to the Big Sandy Creek and Salmon River, in Oswego County. The for- 
mer of these ceased long ago to be a salmon stream and received but slight notice at my hands, while 
the latter claimed my special attention, being the first river which I have yet found in all my travels in 
which the salmon are now found. I inspected the river several miles from its mouth upward and found 
it all the way admirably adapted to the growth of salmon. There are several dams situated on the 
river, but so low aud in such favorable localities as to give easy passage to the salmon. I found, on 
inquiry, the fact that several salmon were caught below and above the dams last fall, and that several 
were caught below the dams early the past summer. 1 think this, above all streams heretofore seen, 
to be the best calculated to commence the breeding of salmon artificially. It is quite evident that 
they ascend the river above the dams, and when above have a wide range and are free from the attacks 
of all predatory fish. An establishment might be built upon some favored locality above the dams 
where the process of artificial propagation could be begun and successfully prosecuted. I noticed 
several streams where such au institution might be begun, and where as favorable results could be 
effected as those attending the experiments of Wilmot at Newcastle, Ontario. There are no trap weirs 
or pound nets, as I am informed, in the mouth of the river to prevent the salmon from entering the 
same with safety. The people in this locality are all kindly disposed to aid and assist this project 
and are quite anxious that experiments should be commenced here. 
After leaving this river I took up next in order of inspection the Oswego. This river has its 
source in the interior lakes of central New York. It was also once a very noted salmon stream, and 
salmon ascended into the Cayuga and Seneca lakes ; but the canal, which extends from Oswego to 
Syracuse, follows nearly the whole course of this river, debouching into it, thus making it unfit for a 
