OPERATIONS IN CALIFORNIA IN 1873. 407 



milt from one of the fish there confined. My next move was to build a 

 close board floor over the staked inclosures in the river, almost touching 

 the surface of the water. This prevented the fish from wearing them- 

 selves out by jumping, and did not seem to interfere with their 

 ripening, but it did not keep them wholly from dying. At last I 

 became convinced, and am still of the opinion, that the Sacramento 

 spawning-salmon cannot be kept alive in any inclosure on a small 

 scale. There seemed now to be but one alternative left, and that was 

 to let those die that were confined, and to keep on fishing and catch 

 what were needed as we went along. This we did ; and fortunately there 

 were so many fish running in the river that we were able, even after 

 this, to obtain enough to furnish the requisite supply of eggs. 



Our experience this year has shown one thing, and that is that if a seine 

 is used exclusively in future for taking the parent salmon, the true way will 

 be to begin fishing only j ust before the spawning-season commences, for all 

 the spawn that we took from fish caught and confined at that time 

 amounted to very few indeed, while, on the other hand, there was no dif- 

 ficulty in catching enough salmon alter the season commenced to yield 

 our quota of two million eggs. 



The best way, however, lor catching the salmon on the McCloud is, I 

 think, to extend, if practicable, some impassable barrier across the river 

 obliquely, say at an angle of 45° with the course of the current, and to 

 have the upper end lead into a large inclosure, or pound, where the fish 

 can be conveniently taken out for spawning. 



This method, though involving a good deal of labor at first, will 

 compel all the fish ascending the river to enter the pound, and will, 

 of course, obviate the constant labor and expense of drawing the seine, 

 which is no inconsiderable item when kept up for a long time. 



The current and volume of the McCloud River are so formidable that 

 it may be impossible to construct such a barrier ; but if operations are 

 continued on that river another year, I propose to make the attempt to 

 dispense entirely with drawing the seine. The pound will, of course, be 

 arranged so that the fish not required for our purposes can be allowed 

 to pass up the river to spawn. This, in fact, would be necessary for an- 

 other reason ; for, if the salmon were entirely cut off from ascending the 

 river, the Indians above us would be sure to make trouble. 



Moving the parent salmon. — The moving of the living parent salmon 

 across the river, being quite an important feature of our work, deserves 

 a few words here. 



Theriverat the place of crossing was aboutsixty yards wide, with swift 

 water part of the way, and rapids just below. On account of the rapid 

 current, no very heavy load could be towed across in safety. Our first plan 

 for conveying the fish across was to bring them in a large box placed on 

 the stern of the boat. This answered very well for a small quantity, 

 but was on too small a scale for the carrying of large numbers. Our 

 next plan was to tow them over in the seine, but this was not only la- 



