450 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



"II. G. Pike, Middletown, Conn., 150,000 salmon-eggs. 

 " James Duffy, Marietta, Pa., 150,000 salinou-eggs. 

 u Alex. Kent, Baltimore, Md., 150,000 salmon-eggs. 

 "James B. Thompson, New Hope, Bucks County, Pa., 150,000 salmon- 

 eggs. 

 " Alfred A. Keed, jr., Providence, R. I., 100,000 salmon-eggs. 

 " Samuel Wilinot, Newcastle, Ontario, Canada, 25,000 salmon-eggs. 

 "H. H. Thomas, Randolph, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., 25,000 salmon- 



errors 



" In all, seven hundred and fifty thousand salmon-eggs. They were 

 packed essentially the same as the former lots had been, in alternate 

 layers, with moss gathered from Mount Shasta, and having mosquito-net- 

 ting above and below each layer of eggs, so that they could be more 

 easily gathered from out of the moss. Two boxes filled in this way, 

 containing 75,000 eggs each, were placed in a crate slightly larger than 

 the sum of the two boxes, and the space between the crates and the 

 boxes was stuffed with straw. The boxes were bored on all sides with 

 auger-holes, so that water poured from outside the crate upon the straw 

 inside, and also water coming from the melting of ice, which was to be 

 kept on the top of the crates, would enter the boxes and moisten the 

 moss in which the eggs were placed. 



"It was especially necessary to keep this lot of eggs cold, inasmuch as 

 it was a later lot and the eggs were more nearly ready to hatch. There- 

 fore I was to try to keep them as nearly torpid, and hence as cold, as 

 possible, in order to prevent their breaking through the shell; in which 

 case, of course, they would begin motion and animal life, and would 

 need a medium of water, and inevitably perish for the want of it. Mr. 

 Stone also wished me to try the experiment of packing hunks of ice, in 

 place of the straw, inside of the crates, as soon as I should arrive with 

 the eggs upon the Central Pacific Railroad to regions where ice was 

 more abundant and obtainable, and keep it up for the rest of the 

 journey. 



"The crates were thoroughly soaked for a while before they were loaded 

 upon the large team with which they were conveyed to Bedding, 23 

 miles distant. We left camp at about 4 o'clock p. m., and reached Bed- 

 ding at about 21 o'clock a. m. The load was very heavy and the road 

 mountainous. During the trip it rained quite heavily, which gave the 

 crates a further soaking with which to begin their long journey. At 

 Bedding were ready 250 pounds of ice, which had been ordered, and I 

 put this in pieces upon the crates after they were loaded in the Wells, 

 Fargo & Co.'s express-car. The train started at about half past 3 

 o'clock a. in., Wednesday morning, October 14. The morning was cold, 

 and the forenoon cool, fortunately, for the car was quite small, and the 

 crates had to be placed one upon another ; consequently, ice could be 

 upon only the upper ones, except so far as the under ones jutted out. 

 Therefore I changed their positions twice, and often poured water over 



