XXII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the eggs with a cloud of miuute bubbles of air. Nine of these funnels 

 were provided with rubber hose leading to an air-reservoir filled by an 

 air force-pump. Unfortunately, however, on opening the cases after 

 getting under way, the eggs were found to have suffered from railroad 

 jolting, and they all rapidly died before any were hatched or even the 

 eye-specks had begun to show. 



At the end of the season at South Hadley Falls, Mass., Mr. Milner 

 arrived atlSoank, bringing with him about 45,000 shad, when experiments 

 were carefully made in attempting to accustom shad to small proportions 

 of sea- water. For this purpose, earthen jars with a capacity of about four 

 gallons were used. The object in view was to ascertain the effect of a 

 very gradual increase of sea- water. The jars received a continually- in- 

 creasing proportion of sea water, until, in two of the tests, it became all 

 sea-water. In the other two experiments, it was allowed to reach a cer- 

 tain proportion and so remain. Other jars were assigned for tests of the 

 effect of different temperatures upon the fish. It was found that shad 

 placed directly in sea-water die very rapidly, but that sea-water intro- 

 duced gradually and in small proportions has not a sensibly injurious 

 effect. The decision, however, was against its use, unless with extreme 

 caution and in very small quantities, wheu it is absolutely necessary for 

 purifying stale water. Later in the season, Mr. Chas. D. Griswold ex- 

 perimented with partially-grown shad taken at Holyoke, Mass. The re- 

 sults showed far less advantage in the transportation of the older shad; 

 the numbers that could be carried were but a minute fraction of the 

 large numbers of embryos usually transported, while in most instances 

 they did not survive as long as the younger fish. 



5. — CALIFORNIA SALMON. 



Mr. Livingston Stone arrived at the McCloud River station and began 

 operations August 6, 1873. A pen, or corral, was built in the river, but 

 it was found to be too small, the fish not retaining their vigor, while a 

 large proportion of those confined in the inclosure died. The seine was 

 again resorted to, aud sufficient salmon taken to make up the prescribed 

 quota of 2,000,000 eggs. The hatching establishment was moved to the 

 bank of the river, and the water raised by a bucket-wheel turned by the 

 current. 



The eggs were packed in moss in boxes two feet square by one foot 

 deep, each containing 75,000 eggs. Two boxes were put into a crate, 

 with a space on all sides, which was packed with hay aud broken ice. 

 When ready for shipment, there were about 2,000,000 in good con- 

 dition. The first lot, 300,000, was shipped September 20, 1873 ; a second 

 lot, 500,000, on the 30th ; a third lot, 330,000, October 7th, and a fourth 

 lot, 250,000, on the 14th. A fifth lot, 20,000, was placed directly into 

 the McCloud River on the 19th of October, and 500,000 were left to 

 hatch. The total was 1,900,000 salmou-eggs. 



The consignees who received the eggs and arranged for their care in 



