Two young flickers in their nesting stronghold clamor for food. (Forest Service photo.)

for food. It reaches a maximum total length of approximately 18 inches. The excellent bass fishing in certain lakes in Ohio and Kentucky has been attributed to the abundance in these lakes of the gizzard shad, which constitutes the chief food supply of the bass The shad has been successfully propagated in bass-rearing ponds in Ohio as food for young bass. The young shad are so delicate and difficult to transport that they are of little or no value as bait.

Other important forage fishes

The black-chinned shiner (Notropis heterodon) and the blacknosed shiner (Notropis heterolepis) are abundant lake species occurring throughout much of the Great Lakes region. Both species have a maximum length of approximately 3 inches. Little has been published relative to their general life history and ecology. Both species are very important forage fishes for bass and other game fish of weedy lakes. While no attempt has been made, to the writer's knowledge, to propagate these two species in ponds, both are probably suitable for pond propagation.

The lake shiner (Notropis atherinoides) is one of the most, if not the most, abundant species of fish in the Great Lakes. It is probably the most important item in the diet of the fish-eating fishes in these waters. Each winter it congregates at the mouths of many of the larger rivers in Michigan in enormous numbers, and at this time dealers seine up great quantities and transport them to the inland lakes. where they are sold as bait.

The Menona killifish (Fundulus diaphanus menona) occurs in many lakes throughout the Great Lakes region, where its abundance suggests that it is an important item of food to the game species. It spawns during late spring or early summer, depositing its eggs in masses of filamentous algae. It grows to a maximum length of 3 inches. The writer has been able to propagate this species in a small pond at the rate of approximately 80,000 per acre. It is a promising species for propagation as bait and as a forage in bass-rearing ponds. The lake chub sucker (Erimyzon sucetta) occurs commonly in weedy lakes and in the quiet, weedy sections of streams. It has been found to scatter its eggs throughout masses of filamentous algae, over beds of aquatic moss, and over submerged plant roots. The maximum length of 10 inches is reached in about 5 years. It occurs commonly in warm-water lakes along with bass, perch, and pike, and it has been propagated successfully in trout rearing ponds where it was an important forage for the trout. Thus far in pond propagation, the chub sucker has given a rather low production in number of fish, but the relatively few fish grow rapidly. The species is very hardy and the large individuals are popular as bait for large game fish. It might therefore be profitable business to propagate this species for sale as bait.

The darters, a group of small fishes related to the perch and walleye, are probably of more importance as forage fishes in our natural waters than has generally been recognized. The Johnny darter (Boleosoma nigrum), the log perch (Percina caprodes), and the Iowa darter (Poecilichthys exilis) occur abundanty over part or all of the Great Lakes region. All occur quite abundantly in many

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lakes. Their habit of remaining near the bottom most of the time probably accounts for the fact that many sportsmen do not even know of the existence of this group of fishes. During recent studies on the food habits of bass from Michigan lakes, the writer has found the Johnny darter and log perch to be important forage fishes. The Johnny darter is well suited to pond propagation, but whether or not such a venture would be justified by the returns cannot be stated at this time.

FORAGE FISHES AND CONSERVATION

The most important function of forage-fish research, as it pertains to the conservation of the sport fisheries, is the development of methods to increase the supply of these fish food organisms in our natural waters; the most important task of forage-fish management is to put these methods into practice. These methods are embodied in three main categories: (1) A control of the removal of minnows and other forage fishes from waters where they are of considerable importance as food for game species, (2) environmental improvement to favor their reproduction in natural waters-a subject which is being discussed during this conference by Mr. Tarzwell—and (3) the introduction of species of forage fishes into waters where they have not previously existed or from which they may have been exterminated by the severe predation of game fish or by other causes-a subject which is being discussed by Dr. Hubbs. The beneficial results of increasing the forage-fish supply in any body of water are twofold; a greater supply of food is furnished for those game fishes already present, and the increase of forage organisms relieves the predation pressure on the young game fish many of which would otherwise be eaten by adults of the game species. Each of the methods here mentioned of promoting fish conservation through management of the forage fishes has been in practice, to a limited degree, for some time. Perhaps the most severe, justified criticism of current forage-fish management is that these methods have not been put into practice to the extent to which the expected results would seem to justify.

DISCUSSION

Mr. W. J. K. HARKNESS (Toronto). Have you found the yellow perch of any importance?

Mr. COOPER. We have several lakes in perch have pretty well cleaned out all fish. the large perch are smaller perch.

Michigan where yellow
About the only food for

Mr. HARKNESS. Some of our lakes are comparable to those of northern Michigan. The small perch not more than 5 or 6 inches in length seem to be the food supply of wall-eyed pike.

CHAS. O. HAYFORD (New Jersey). In New Jersey we have come to realize more and more the value of the minnow. A short time ago we could find plenty of minnows, but now there are no minnows to be found. I believe in a very short time the propagation of minnows will be considered just as important as the propagation of large fish. That is, we have found it that way in New Jersey.

GLENN C. LEACH (Washington, D. C.). It is very important that all States should give consideration to production of minnows in

streams. We should not have promiscuous removal of fish. We cannot take the food away and then expect the streams to produce fish. We have to protect minnows.

KENNETH REID (Pennsylvania). I make a clear distinction between trout waters and bass waters or cold waters and warm waters. It has been my experience throughout the Eastern States in trout waters that minnows, in practically all large trout streams full of minnows, are perhaps more competitors for trout food than food themselves. It seems that in fishing, at least 9 out of 10 man-hours are put on trout fishing and not on minnows, and therefore man's activity reduces trout supply. The fewer the trout, the more the minnows. I question the advisability of stocking minnows in trout

streams.

Prof. G. E. POTTER (Texas). This discussion is very interesting. We have golden shiners in east Texas, shad, fatheads, and a few others. We use the fathead, and have found it better for actual use than the golden shiner. We make some use of red fin. That is a very abundant shiner which is fairly useful. Also the stone roller is being used. Some use the spot tail. It is a little cannibalistic, also rather large. The top minnow is one of our common ones. Also the mosquito minnow is common. The top minnow lives on other fish some, but primarily on mosquitoes and insects. We use, of course, quite largely, the fathead and some of its relatives. We have come to the state of mind that in the next State legislature we will try to get passed a law allowing no minnow dealer to sell minnows unless he has reared them or purchased them wholesale from someone who has reared them.

Mr. GLENN C. LEACH (Washington). What he said about minnows being competitors to trout is true. Eastern States must produce larger trout to put in streams so as to overcome this. The larger fish will take care of the minnows we have been complaining about. We have got to put in larger trout, so that should answer that particular part of it.

RUSSELL LORD (Vermont). Speaking along the lines of Mr. Leach, the White River in Vermont turns out some good trout, but small fly would catch nothing but minnows. Bucktail would catch trout. In our next test water investigation we are including an artificial lake which turns out lots of trout. One man caught 50 pounds in that lake. Those streams, where dammed up, contain horned dace. They are so thick that you don't need to bother about bait. To procure the dace tails you just scoop them up. These dace grow to a foot in length. They swarm there.

Prof. G. E. POTTER (Texas). I will tell a story, too. Take these top minnows. You can go out to almost any pond-no net needed. I use an old broom and just slap out the minnows I need.

RESTORATION OF ATLANTIC SALMON TO THE PENOBSCOT RIVER

(By RAYMOND W. Dow, Penobscot River Salmon Committee, Bangor, Maine)

In most countries to which he now migrates the Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) is esteemed a natural resource of great value, both from the commercial and sporting viewpoint. As full appreciation of this has dawned, wise regulation has given this splendid fish