REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXV 



fish at tlie station. These, with the take at Twiu Lakes, made an 

 aggregate of 498,900. A consigument of 5,000 of these eggs was sent 

 to iSTashville in Jnne and arrived in excellent condition, only 9 of 

 them being dead when nnpacked. They were hatched at the exposi- 

 tion during July with comparatively no loss. The losses on the balance 

 of the stock amounted to 39,300, or nearly 8 per cent, and on June 30 

 there were 164,780 fry and 289,820 eggs on hand. In view of the poor 

 results attained at Twin Lakes this year it has been decided to depend 

 on Freeman Lake and on such collections as can be made from the 

 stock at the station, for the supply of black- spotted eggs in future. 



BozEMAN Station, Montana (James A. Henshall, Supekintendent). 



This station is located on Bridger Creek, in the Gallatin Valley, and 

 is 3i miles from the city of Bozenian. Its water supply is obtained 

 from two springs, the combined volume of which varies from l,2(iO gal- 

 lons in wet weather to 500 in the dry season ; the temperature of the 

 water is 45°, and it is always clear. The superintendent, James A. 

 Henshall, was appointed on the 1st of January and reported for duty 

 on the 11th of that month. 



During the winter 25,000 brook trout eggs were received from Lead- 

 ville and 100,000 steelhead oggs from Fort Gaston. The fry resulting 

 from them were transferred to the rearing-ponds in April and May, and 

 at the close of the fiscal year the brook trout numbered 14,111 and the 

 steelheads 84,858. Besides caring for the eggs and fry, the station force 

 was employed during the winter and spring in comj)leting the road- 

 ways, repairing damage done to the ponds by frost, grading around the 

 buildings, and other miscellaneous work. 



In the spring arrangements were made to collect eggs from wild 

 black spotted trout, which were said to spawn during June and July. 

 From information gathered from residents in the locality it was believed 

 that large numbers could be secured at Mystic Lake (about 16 miles 

 from Bozeman, in the mountains), but owing to the impassable condi- 

 tion of the roads the sui)erintendent was delayed until June 12 in mak- 

 ing the inspection. This lake is 30 acres in area, has a dei)th of 100 

 feet, and is fed by two ideal spawning-streams with gravelly bottoms. 

 Numbers of spawning-beds were found, and it was decided to return at 

 once with the necessary outfit. Owing to heavy rains, however, the 

 return trip was not made until June 17, when it was found that the 

 spawning beds had been flooded through the raising of a dam by an 

 irrigating company. A few fish were taken in the small holes near the 

 outlet of the lake, and 10,000 eggs were secured. 



As trout were reported to occur in great numbers in Soda Butte 

 Lake, in the northwestern section of the Yellowstone Park, ;in effort 

 was made to collect eggs there in July, but none weie obtained, as it 

 was Ibuiid that the fish there, as in Mystic Lake and other waters in 

 the vicinity, spawn much earlier than has been commonly believed. It 

 is thought that large numbers of eggs can be obtained at both these 

 r. R. 97 V 



