Pink-eyed Trout A Peculiar Finny Freak Propagated At The Minnesota Hatchery

The game and fish comniUsionDra of Minnesota have suococded in propagating at the state fish hatchcry iu St. Paul, a breed oí trout that eannot be duplica ted anywhere in the known world, says the Minneapolis Journal. The albino trout is nothing more or less than a freak of nature, and up to three years ago, when these fish began to make their appearauce at the Minnesota hatchery, none were known to exist. Threo years ago Superintendent S. S. Watkins securod thirtynine specimens, though where he got them is a secret locked in the breast of the gray-haired official, who is by no means anxious to teil how his pets were acquired. From these fish he succeeded in bringing thirteen to maturity, but only three specimens wintered successfully. At the spawning season there were found to be two females and one buck. Froin these were obtained oggs that turned out at the 147 fish, but of this number only 49 arrived at maturity. The 49 have sinca multiplied, until now Mr. Watkins has 700 albino trout in the tanks. The superintendent is exceeding-ly oareful of these beauties, and well inay care be taken of them, for, with their puro white bodies handsomely dotted with pink spots - with thoir pink fins and pink eyos - they are a curio9ity not to be duplicated in America at least The commission has obtained another very handsome species of trout by crossin the native brook trout with tha lako trout. lhe result is a lavge anti beautiful fish, highly colored and possessed of all the game fighting1 qualities of the brook trout, an exception to the ordiuary results of crossing, wbicb aro to elimínate many of th.9 game qualities of the fish. Within the last year a variety of experimenta in fish culture have been made at the St. Paul hatchery. Mr. Watkins has superintended all these experinents, and in a conversation with a representativo of the Sunday Times recently he said that the next twelve months would, he believed, add a good many valuable faots to the knowledge now posuesgod of isb. cultora.