PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1927 711 
reduced the field of operations materially. Some carp eggs were taken and 
planted in the Mississippi River after fertilization. 
Marquette (Iowa) substation.—Operations at this point were more successful 
than was generally the case elsewhere. Most of the bass fry distributed were 
derived from the Marquette and Gutenburg (Iowa) field. 
Bellevue (Iowa) substation.—The results of the collecting season at Bellevue 
were comparable with those at other points. A limited output was reported, 
but river conditions were favorable to a good survival of fish. 
Plaquemine (La.) substation—This station, replacing the Atchafalaya sub- 
station, is devoted to the propagation of buffalo fish. The work is eonducted 
in cooperation with the State of Louisiana, which has furnished the equipment, 
while a force of experienced employees is supplied by the bureau. Operations 
during the past year were a practical failure, less than 3,000,000 fry being dis- 
tributed. Unfavorable weather conditions were largely responsible for the poor 
showing. Another factor tending to decrease the yield was the newly inaugu- 
rated closed season during the spawning period (February 15 to March 30). 
No fishing was carried on during this time, and it was impossible to hire fishermen 
for egg-taking operations alone. The protection afforded by a restriction of 
fishing during the spawning stage will be of undoubted benefit, and it is hoped 
that, with better weather conditions in the future, opposition on the part of the 
eaatomrn will abate and that a larger number of eggs than ever before can be 
secured. 

Musseut INFECTION 
{Conducted by the Fairport (Iowa) and La Crosse (Wis.) stations in conjunction with the rescue of land- 
locked fishes] 
The infection of rescued fishes with the glochidia of commercial species of 
mussels was continued. A total of 1,169,014,650 larval mussels of three com- 
mercial species were released by inoculating rescued fish. This output was a 
marked reduction from the 2,800,000,000 of last year, and the cost per thousand 
therefore was increased relatively, ranging from $0.0303 to $0.0565 per thousand 
at different points. The same adverse conditions that militated against the 
rescue work in general were responsible for this limited output. An unusual 
mortality of fish at Lake Pokegama also was a detrimental factor. The general 
rescue operations in the Fairport field amounted to 162,765 fish of various sizes. 
MARINE FISHES 
The summary of operations in this field exhibits a gratifying 
increase for all the species handled. Cod, haddock, pollock, and 
winter flounder comprise the forms propagated. A total collection 
of over 6,000,000,000 eggs is indicative of the significance of this 
work, even though many of the eggs were merely fertilized and planted 
on the spawning grounds without attempting to incubate them. 
Three stations occupy this field, two in Massachusetts and one in 
Maine. The season’s work was marked by a resumption of the 
collection of cod eggs at the Boothbay Harbor (Me.) station after a 
cessation of several years. In work of this nature, carried on chiefly 
by placing spawn takers on the fishing boats, a greatly increased 
number of eggs, if available, may be handled with but little increase 
in cost. 
Bootupay Harspor (Me.) STATION 
[E. E. HAuN, Superintendent] 
The output of this station for the year 1927 was the greatest since its establish- 
ment. The resumption of cod-egg collections helped to augment the total 
output of 2,419,873,000 cod and flounder eggs, although collections of the latter 
were very large. It was found impossible to incubate the cod eggs at the 
hatchery, due to water conditions, and they were planted immediately after 
fertilization. To take full advantage of this opportunity in the future it will be 
necessary to place the steamer Gannett in commission or to provide a new boat. 
Flounder operations opened March 1, when the nets were set. All grounds 
except Casco Bay yielded good catches of fish. Brood fish to the number of 
