582 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The case may be made of any desired size; but I prefer them about 

 eigbteen inches to two feet square, and from two to four feet or more in 

 height, accordiug to the amount of fall afforded to the water from the 

 spring or fountaiu. 



The cases may be arranged in tiers the whole length of the floor of the 

 hatching house, and the water overflowiug from one made to pass into 

 aud through the next succeeding one to any desired extent as to num- 

 bers. 



The lower tray is suspended, when it is to be filled, in the position oc- 

 cupied by the upper tray c'. The spawn is deposited evenly over the sur- 

 face of the wire-gauze, and in a suitable quantity. The tray is then 

 lowered by the straps s suiScieutly to permit the insertion of another 

 tray, which is treated in a like manner, and so on until the case is filled. 

 The tra3's and young fisii may then be removed in a similar manner — 

 that is, one tray at a time — and the water allowed to flow through dur- 

 ing either process. 



It will be seen that the spawn will remain evenly distributed on 

 account of the longitudinal position of the trays; aud, by means of the 

 buoyant tendency of the upward current, there is no damage or loss of 

 spawn by lack of circulation. 



This plan is intended more especially for winter-hatching, or for the 

 spawn of white-fish; but it may also be used for almost any other kind. 



What I claim as my invention is — 



1. The spawn-hatching apparatus A, constructed as described, to pro- 

 duce an equally-distributed upward flow or circulation of the water, for 

 the purposes set forth. 



2. In combination with the spawn-hatching apparatus A, the over- 

 flow-channels C, arranged to equalize the overflow on all sides, substan- 

 tially as and for the purposes set forth. 



3. In a spawn-hatching device, the trays c aud water-inlet opening d, 

 in combination with the deflector /i, arranged to operate substantially 

 as and for the purposes shown and described. 



4. In combination with the spawn-trays c, the concave or hopper- 

 shaped bottom B, substantially as described, and for the purposes set 



forth. 



M. G. HOLTON. 



Witnesses: 



Wm. S. Loughborough. 



Patrick McIntyre. 



ClarFs tray-hatching a])imratus. — Nelson W. Clark, of Olarkston, Michi- 

 gan. — Improvement in fish-hatching apparatus. — (Specification form- 

 ing part of letters-patent No. 148035, dated March 3, 1874; application 

 filed January 7, 1874.) 



