'292 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
jiavt of certain lots of trout, none of whicli are entirely acceptable. One writer * 
asserts that at tlie time of the absorption of the sac the fry rises in search of natural 
food, and if he does not find it he is comi3elied to take the artificial food prepared for 
biin, and the difficulty of adaiiting his stomach to this food results in a loss which 
varies from 50 to 75 per cent. 
Another fish-culturist says that they fail to assimilate the artificial food and die. 
In passing, I hope to be iiardoued for asking if tlie trout fry in the feeding troughs 
offered artificial food when nature demands an aliment, even granting for argument 
that they can not always assimilate it, ai’e not in better position to fight the battle of 
life than the trout fry in the streams, either hatched or planted there, where they too 
frequently find an entire absence of food, for we know that streams are as frequently 
barren of natui'al food for trout fry as the streets of cities are barren of food for 
cliildren. They live and reach a certain phase of maturity, but the product too often 
falls short of expectations. 
At one large establishment where the yearling fish have for a number of years 
been abnormally small the trouble is thought to be due to prevailing low temiierature 
of water. This, in a measure, may be true, for it is a generally accepted opinion that 
trout will not readily take their food on cold and cloudy days, and it is not unreasonable 
to suppose that the same cause would prevail in water of a constantly low temperature. 
My own observations lead me to believe that, outside of the spawning season, properly 
trained trout will eat as greedily during a snowstorm as during fair weather. 
To Avhatever cause due, it must be admitted by every candid and imiiartial observer 
that thousands of trout are annually raised which in size fall short of a commensurate 
return for the time, interest, and money expended. I hope to show that a partial 
correction is possible by the use of an adequate quantity of proper food. Private 
fish-culturists, selling yearling fish at so many dollars per thousand, are more than any 
others interested in making this correction. Information is beginning to be dissemi- 
nated on this subject, and the purchaser, who a few years since was willing to pay 
fancy prices for that most meaningless and illy defined of all salable products — year- 
ling trout — is now comnieucmg to ask, “Of what size are the fish It seems to me 
that it would be rational and fairer to all parties to establish a weight per thousand 
and grade the prices up or down as the weight rose above or fell below the standard. 
The importance of making such correction as above suggested is apparent, for if 
at times we are stocking streams with stunted fish we are antagonizing one of the 
hopes and claims of fish-culture, namely, the improvement of existing species. I 
care not how carefullj^ the breeders may be selected, how minutely all the essentials 
of impregnating, hatching, and transporting receive attention, the resulting adult 
fish will never be of large size and fine quality unless the fry have been properly fed; 
and it is probable that if these fry have been stunted their progeny will be stunted. 
The progressive and enlightened cattle-breeder looks closely to it that those individuals 
which are to perpetuate his herd have received proper feeding and acquired full and 
normal development; and if by chance a runt is among the herd, it is set ajiart from 
the breeders. For the same reason we should not allow stunted fishes to enter into 
the brood stock or into streams. 
Against the danger of under feeding there should be little cause to warn the 
ciilturist engaged in growing for the market. But because I have known such cases, 
" Mr. Herscbel AVliitaker, Trails. American Fislicries Society, 1892, p. 96. 
