IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ¥■ K J^ ^ *^ 1.0 ^1^ 1^ L^ US 121 ■Ol — 1^ 1 1-25 pil 1.4 III 1.6 =s lllll^= IIIII^S 6" '^ vl v: '^' / y /A Phoiographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. USSO (716) •73-4503 6^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/fCIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historicai Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques « V Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes tachniques at bibliographiquas The Institute hat attempted to obtain the beat original copy available for filming. 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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmAs en commen^ant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustretion et en terminant par la darniAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la darniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole -^- signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, piancSes, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmAs * des taux de reduction diff*rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seui ciich*, il est i..m* A partir da I'angla supArieur gauche, de gauche * droite, et de huut en bas. en prenent le ^tombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 IT. ON THE TREATMENT AND PLANTING OF SALMONOID ERY. Bv PuoFKSHOK E. E. Prince, Dominion Commissionkr op Fisiirkies, Ottawa. In the report of this department for 1895, 1 publiKbod some notes on the culture of trout. My remarks had reforeni^e mainly to the procuring of eggs, the process of fertilization, and the management of the ova during incubation. These notes appear to hiive aroused wideHpread interest, and in consequence of ihcir publication a large number of attempts have been made by private parties to commence fish- culture, ehpecially the culture of specklod trout or brook trout. From the number of communications which have ronchod the Department of Marine and Fit^heries upon tho hatching and rearing of trout, the hope which I ventured to express has been fully realized when I said " there is evidence of a growing desire in various provinces on the part of enthusiastic individuals to pursue private fisK-oulture, and to second and to support the efforts of the Department of Marine and Fisheries in recuperating various waters in the Dominion." It is true that in some concluding paragraphs in the report alluded to, I pointed out Home of the conditions necessary, not only for tho successful incubation of the eggs ot the trout, but also for the rearing of tho newly hatched fry. I added some details, indeed, ret^pectiog the building of ponds, and the steps desirable tc guard against enemies of hurtful influences, in short, I pointed out the precautions required in order to ensure the best results. , The four main considerations for success in planting fry are : (1) The best age at which fry could be planted in order to ensure the largest results. (2) The season and climatic conditions best for transport. (3) The places to be selected for planting. (4) The precautions necessary to be observed when the fry are in transit. When the hatching of eggs is carried on upon an extensive scale it is very necessary to commence the work of distribution with as little delay as possible. The advent of warm weather brings many dangers which are avoided by planting in tho early and colder days. Newly hatched fish carry on their under side a large bag of food-yolk upon which they feed by a process of ab.sorption. There is danger in handling fry when the sac is large as the delicate envelope or skin outside is very tender, eanly abrades and ruptures, causing the death of the fish. It is wise therefore to allow them to remain in the hatching troughs for 10 or 20 days, by which time the yolk-bull has much diminished and tho fish are more hardy and robust. There is of course danger from various causes of losing a largo proportion of the fry of whitefish, salmon, and trout if they are retained long ofter the absorption of tho yolk sac. Fungus, which may also attack eggs during incubation, is one of the most pernicious. What is called "dropsy" in the yolk-sac is not common, inflammation or clogging of the gills is frequent, but fungus is an epidemic that often carries off entire batches of eggs and fry. The commonest remedy is common salt, of which a saturated solution is made, practically strong brine, and this is poured into the tanks containing the infected fish. It is a good plan to turn off tho supply tap so as to leave 2 or 3 inches of water in the tank, and it is easy then to convert the contained water into a fluid not quite the strength of sea-water. It must be thoroughly mixed and the fry left in for about half an hour. Usually the bath has no ill effect; but if the fry appear to be becoming weak or discomforted, the fresh water should h? turned on again. A bath of this kind has been found beneficial, though it requires cart, as young salmon zl THE PL ANTING OF FRY. sU of immeraed in aea-water too Idng die from hardening of tlie yolk-sao, which becomes dense like india-rubber. Recently another remedy hau beea advocated, viz., per- manganaut of poiaeb, which sweetenn the water and destroys organic germn. The Itevue Scientifique notes that at the Geneva Exhibition, 189G, permanganate of potash was used to clean the aquarium, and it is claimed that it prevented the specitoetis of the salmonidsB from being attacked by Saprolegnia. It is a matter, howovnr, of experiment as yet, and further trials are necessary to establish its 8ucceK>. One ro'jont <3xporimonter tried a new method and with a small painter's brush or the thumb and linger, removed the fungus, and then with a solution of 18 grs. of bichloride of mercury diluteJ in a 6 uz. bottle, ho applied with a camel-hair brush this solution over the |)art8 affected, holding the fish a few seconds before returning them ti> the water, which was changed daily. The result, he states, is that after one application his fish entirely recovered, with but a few exceptions, which however, wore cured by a second application. There has been much controversy respecting the merits of planting small and helpless fry and pl.'inting yearlings or fingerlings, which have been kept in ponds and fed on uriifieial food. It is admitted that great loss results when fry are thus impounded, and the trouble and expense are serious if a great quantity of fry are being reared. 8ome of the best pisciculturists (like Mr. F. Francis) have advocated turning the lish out at once i. e., just before or at the time they begin to feed. The strongest argument in favour of this course, apart from the loss by death and the saving of time, money and labour, is that derived from the contc.tion that fry if kept in artificial inulosuros and fed become semi-domesticatod after a few months and, when liberated amongst their wild companions already in their streams and lakes, fall victims either to starvation (from inexperience in foraging for food), or to predaceous enemies (from which they have been from the hatching stage care- fully guarded). Very young salmon and trout attack their weaker brethren and urtificiftlly reared "yee lings" certainly do not commence free life on equal terms, with those reared by nature. There is much therefore to be said in favour of using all haste in plant-ng these fry in suitable places after hutching and before the yolk is entirely absorbed. " They do not want any food " said Frank Buckland " for they are supported by the contents of the umbilioal vesicle and at this time above all others require protection. You may at this time increase the flow of water, for I have discovered from painful experience, that wat«r which is sufficient for a given number of eggs is not sufficient for the same number of young tish, when they come out of the eggs." It is, however, a fact thai young fry frequently take food, and swallow small particles before the yolk sac has been entirely absorbed. As a rule the yolk baa gone before the H5th or 4()th day after hatching. If the yolk sac is half- absorbed, say on the 2uth day, the fry may be safely planted. They have sufficient food to last them until they are thoroughly accustomed to their natural surround- ings, and are able to shift for themselves. ' The cool and favourable weather of April, May or early June, unless the season he later than usual, is adapted for distribution, and the riskb o^' loss at that time from long or tedious journeys is reduc d. Such long and per.. jQs trips r.re as far as possible to be avoided ; but they are often neoeasary in order to reach the shal- low upper waters which are most suitable fo'. planting the young frj'. The question has often been discussod whether fry whose incubation has been protracted are stronger than those which have been batched earlier under a higher temperature. Certainly (he mortality in broods of English trout hutched in water below 40^ F. is far less than when the water is of a higher temperature. The same has been found to be true of the Canadian speckled trout and the Rainbow trout. In a series of ova which had reached an advanced stage in water of 48° F., and were then placed in trays supplied with water 10° lower, the hatching out did not take place until the 120th day, though they are known to hatch in 50 or 60 days under a higher temperature. The resulting fry are more robust, and fewer die during the early stages after liberation from the egg than in those hatched at a tem- 11a— D xUi MARINE AXn FISHERIES. porature of 48° to ()0°. Actuiil tests on spawniiii; ber the nurposo of preventing the splashing and loss of water as tar as y)OS8ib!e, Into the neck (say 6 inches in diameter), a cylindrical can fits, the bottom of which is made of tine metal gauze. The gauze not only allows of teration, but when neiessary servos us a receptacle for pieces of ice, which, molting, trickles into tho water belcw in which the fish are swimming about. The ice is often broken up into fine pieces or crushed, if it does not molt and cool the water properly. It should always be remembered that the young of fishes, above all salmonoid fishes, cannot endure heat, nor are they able to withstand frost with impunity. Indeed, ice placed in the lid of the can or tank has E roved hprmful when on warm days the frj' have been surrounded for some hours y water of 50° or 60°. Hence the advisability of trani porting young fish either in the early spring months or during the night, and a;, early morning when the season ia warmer and more advanced. At such times they can be most safely shipped. » It is well known that newly hatched fish are far less hardy than eggs. But even eggs during the first few weeks are verj' sensitive, and within three weeks after fertilization they should be subjected as little as possible to concussions and rough usage. Salmon eggs 22 days old died in 8 or 9 days after being roughly handled during some experiments by the late Dr. Francis Day, the well known British salmon authority, but after the 47th day only very hurtful causes, such as chemical impurities, &c., will do them any harm, and '' eyed" eggs are hardy in the extreme. No doubt vast numbers of ova are lost every year at the head waters of salmon rivers by being frozen. Certainly in 1881 this loss was very severe on many Scottish r'vers. The famous physiologist. Dr. Davy, brother of Sir Humphrey Davy, imbedded salmon eggs iu ice, and found that they survived ; but his experiments provided conditions probably more gradual than the severe and trying oircumstanoes of freezing near the source of a river. In order to keep the cans suitably cool an outside jacket of iron is often pro- vided, separated by an empty space from the inside can containing the fry. Such double cans are very effective, and being much cooler than ordinary cans the fry are shipped in them with much greater safety and success. Whitefish fry which are very small and delicate will to the number of 15,000 to 25,(IC0, travel in one of these cans without loss if the journey be not long and trying ; but half that quantity of brook trout and saimon would as a rrle suffice. Home authorities favour the wise principle of putting a minimum quantity of fry in each can and regard 3,000 to 5,000 as ample, but with newly hatched fry before the gills are properly developed, * Wliile galvaniziid irou is the best material, it luuxt be reueinbured that tlie HpiritH uf Halt, used in Huldering in very hurtful, and new caiu, should htand full of water (often renewed) for eight or nino weeks. THE PLANTING OF FRY. xUU and before they have acquired their full larval activity and vigour a greater number can be aufely shipped in oach ciin. Ton caiis is a full )«hipmont for one teum, and fewer cans are in most oaseH advinable. At the fam ms Ilowietoun fiih-ponds in Scotland, the lamonted Sir James Gibion M lilland, whoito recent douth all interested in tiiih-calture must deplore, used a corneal form of can 24 inches in diameter across the bottom, and 4^ inches in diameter at the top. The heii^ht of this can is 32 inches and the weight, when filled, about 170 pounds, no that two men could easily lift it about by means of two strong handles fixed at points a little above the centre of gravity (about 14 inches from the bottom). When it is necessary to convey the cans along forest paths or across rooky hills, two poles are horizontally attnoned to the handles, and the can is then easily carried — one man walking in front aiid the other behind. Many Scottish lakes situated on the highest altitudes have been successfully stocked by this method. All fry should be planted immediately after arrival. If the hour of arrival at the planting ground be midnight or during the small hours of the morning so much the better, the atmosphere is then cool. In any case no time should be lost a» every moment is of importance, and the sooner the fry are disporting themselves in the clear waters of the stream or creok the greater is the assurance of success. • Under no plea whatever should fry be kept in the cans over the night. Great risk is run by a few hours' delay. If through the impossibility of obtaining a team or other caofte it is absolutely impracticable to at once plant them they should be constantly watched and fresh water splashed in, or the water aerated by a bellows or other means. Aeration is most easily and effectively done by lifting up water in a dipper from the can and letting it full again with a splash: but on no account should the device be adopted by blowing down a tnbe into the can with a view to aerating tho water. Such an absurd plan has been actually adopted by some manipulators : but in blowing down poisonous air from the lungs, the water in the can already vitiated with carbonic acid gas, becomes more vitiated and poisonous. The surest way of killing and asphyxiating fish suffering from lack of oxygen is to blon air from the mouth into their midst. Again, fry should not be unduly knocked about or th*) cans roughly handled. " Fry will not stand much knocking about, " wrote the late Sir Gibson Afaitland the bottom of a tnnk (or can) used for transporting fry should be stiffened by cross pieces soldered u:?derneath, as, if it saggs at all, the fry soon get fatigood, pos- sibly because the least spring from the bottom frightens them and they exhaust their strength by frequent and aimless sallies through the water." The same author also wrote. "With care fry can bo carried for twenty-fear hours : but the result is not satisfactory if the journey be longer. Of course small quantities of fry can be sent farther and more easily than large. The re-aoratioti of the water is a difficulty. It cannot be done automatically, a!9 is the case with yearlings, because the motion the water acquires tiros out the fry. In fact, the object of filling the tank well in to tho cone of zinc is tu check the motion." It usually suffices in a long journey to change the water at appropriate intervals. The fact is well known that little salmon and trout, only 3 or H weeks old, actively wave their pectoral fins to and fro and thus create a current of water which aids !n ox^'genation, and facilitates the breathing operations of the fish. The actual planting of the fry is a mo-A important mailer, and a good deal of Terr inappropriate advice hp-s been published upon this matter. * It is clear that fiy should not be suddenly transferred from a warm can to a can of water that :s several degrees higher in temperature than the lake or stream. The temperature should be somewhat equalized by mingling the two waters before tho fish are emptied out. The temperature of the water into which the fry are to be transferred should not be more then ;ti' higher or lower thnn tiie water in which they have been carried from the hatchery. It is hardly necessary to say that if fry are being sent some distance to be Elantod, it is an advantage to have all arrangements for their reception made before and, BO that teams may be waiting the arrival of the cans and an immediate start be made. Before placing the cans on the team it is advisable to remove the ice from r xllv MARINE AND FISHERIES. tho covei-M of Ine oann unless the oiitRide atmosphere be very warm. Cans of fish should novur stand in the hot ravrt of the hud- but n cover or sheet should bo so placed fts to Hhixld them. Cans Hhould also be thoroughly rinsed and cooled with water before fry are placed in them. Fish frequently become Hick before leaving the hatchery because thi^^ rule hiis not been obhorvod and the fry placed in cans which have been warmed by the sun or nearness lo a stove. It is a good principle to find out where the fish naturally spawn in the watera to bo planted, or if no H<«h of the sumo speci >h occur, to aMcertuin whore tho bsst natural conditions exi^t. Thus whitefinh should always bo planted on clean gravelly ground in fairly shallow water, or whore roofrt of honeycomb rock extend. Brook trout and nalmon uhould be placed near Iho head of streams or as fur up tributaries of large rivers aw poshiblo, avoiding, however, tho^e which dry up in summer. Lake trout do best if distributed over rocky shoals such as aro selected by the parent Hfh. In such places as those specified there is abundance' of shelter, and the small fish, as a rule, make at once for niches in the rock-', or the protection of pebbles and stone.-'. As pike, pickerel and other predacious fish arc in the spring, occupied in spawning, there is less danger from these fish than is commonl}' sup posed, especially as the first-named are then in weedy, marshy localities engaged in depositing their eggs. If sunfish, shiners, small suckers and piks appear to abound, it is best to select some other areas which are free from these destructive pests, or if that is not possible drive these fish away by disturbing the water, sweeping a net over the ground or some such method. It is often the case that neither time or circumstances will admit of reaching the bent and most appropriate localities, and the planting must be done where it is apparent the young fry would not have been under natural conditions found. After much experience with young fry, I am bound to confess that planting fry upon what may not appear the most suitable grounds results in better success than might have been anticipated. Tho charge oflen made against officials of merely dumping in the fry at tho most convenient ratiior than the most saitable places is less grave than might be imagined by the inexperienced. A man standing on shore with one foot, encased in a fisherman's boot, in the water, c • pour the fry gently into a deep part near the edge, and the fry will immediately stek bheltor. A better plan iu to gently empty the fry from a boat and the fry disperse before they reach tho bottom. For a few minutes the mass of young fish appear to crowd togoDher and then spread themselves and disappear from sight. That they survive and do well admits of no doubt as the remark, already made, nnnlies in this case, viz., that the chief enemies of tho young fish are in swampy shallows engaged in depositing thoir spawn. In thus favouring the planting of fry in deep water where it is a matter of difficulty to plant them in small batches in shallow water, I have the support of the late Sir Gibson Maitland who wrote: "At first we used to place the fry in the shallowest water near the inlot of the ponds ; but they were so frightened that they used to be huddled together in masses when poured into deep water they instantly disperse, and in u few minutes have spread all over the pond in a lively and inquisitive spirit." lab BO ith ing inH era ')8t )ok ies the the I of ng. lUp iin r to Live iter, ling it is fter ipon i^ht ping rave one loep it) to torn, read >f no mioH thus )lant baoa iwest ,o be they ively