Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-16
WELL WORTH A VISIT
Unusually Fine Display IN the Fish Com
Neutrality-suspicious..
Specimens of All American Game
ing Specieu on Exhibition.

Thousands Of the visitors who annually
make the pilgrimage to the capital of the
nation miss one of the most interesting
spots In Washington by failure to pay
a tour Of inspection through the United
States fish commission building on 9th
and B streets southwest in the reserva-
ton adjoining the Smithsonian Park on
the east. There are many Washington peo-
pie, too who are ignorant of the attrac-
ton AFFORDED at the fish commission. Just
now the numerous aquariums contain
families OF fishes, strong and healthy and
alert and active, which afford not only
charming pleasure to the sense of sight,
out present an instructive and interesting
lesson For the first time in the record
OF the hsh commission there are exhibited
a Tuli representation of all the leading
American game fishes and the display is
attracting much attention from sports
men and anglers as we'll as the general
pubic In a large aquarium in the main
hatcnlng room Is a collection of large
mouth black bass and among them Is
single small mouth. This tank affords
anglers an excellent opportunity to study
the differences between the two species
commissioner Brice, who accompanied The
Star reporter through the building this
morning, Indicated very easy way of dis
tinguishing one from the other by show
ing that in the small mouth species the
eye SetS D1cK DeninQ q line uTdWH up
from the back of the mouth, while in the
large mouth variety the eye sets In front
of such line. There is a tank containing
young small mouth bass and another with
young large mouth bass, the little fellows
being almost tranSr aren't
Salmon and Steelhcad Trout.
The aquarium containing young quinnat
salmon of the Pacific coast is most inter-
esting. The fish are remarkably active and
vigorous.
you will always find that western fish
the east" said Commissioner Brice. ''If
you'll come this way I'll show you the
finest. gamest. strongest and hardest hsh
in the world" he continued.
S,liting actions to words, he Jed the way
to a tank where a big colony of silvery
fishes two or three inches long marked with
dark spots were darling here and there
with great animation. They are steel
head trout" said the commissioner. They
take kindly to eastern waters. and are be-
ing successfully introduced in them. The
steelhead reaches a weight of twenty-five
pounds sometimes, when he goes out to sea
and comes back again, but seven pounds is
about their usual weight. Here is lot
of another variety of game trout. he re-
marked pointing to another tank. They
are rainbow trout. They are very similar
in color when young to the quinnat sal
mon, as you will observe. The rainbow
trout is western native but 1t takes
hlluly ~ edSteil. StfedHlS 1t Will lepihSS
the brook trout In many places where
changed conditions have destroyed the lat
ter, because 1t can live In water at a higher
temperature than any other trout
Other Interesting Families.
Others aquariums contain land-locked
salmon from Maine, year old; the get of
Atlantic salmon kept in captivity and do
mesticated beautiful brook trout, crappie,
Scotch trout and other game fishes.
full inhabitants. In one is a colony of
anemones showing a variety of hue and
color and illustrating. as in the orchids.
how lovely nature is even in the lowest
forms of her life.
In another tank is family Of big gold
fishes, and living with them several
big fishes as white7as snow. One tank con-
tains spots; in another lobster reigns
sole monarch; in another Is school Of
tautogs; nearby are founders half covered
in the sand on the bottom of their home,
and Near the entrance to the grotto room
are two three receptacles containing
diamond-back terrapin, now in dormant
state.
Shipments West and East.
While looking at the lobster and tautogs
Commissioner Brice said car load Of lob
ster and tautog had been sent to the Pacific
coast, and 100000 eggs of the qunnat
salmon brought back for Matching and dis
tribution in the New England waters.
TOuT u lIe lODSleTS winch we
placed at the Farallone Islands were COW
cred with eggs" said Commissioner Brice
land I estimate that almost 5000 600 eggs
were thus transplanted, with very good
chances for the Matching of a substantial
population of them. Our work on the Pa
cific coast this year was successful beyond
our expectations he said. in conclusion.
"At the Battle Creek station, Oregon
which is the greatest fish station in the
world, we took about 5OOOO,O0O eggs of the
quinnat salmon. making in bulk about COO
bushels"
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