18 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



its tail to some part of the corral where he can be quickly caught when 

 needed. One man presses the eggs from the female securely held in 

 the spawning-box, the pan for receiving these being held by another. 

 As soon as the eggs are taken, the male is drawn from the pen by the 

 rope and held by one man, who takes it by the tail with his left hand, 

 its head between or across his knees. With his right hand the milt 

 is then pressed from the fish into the pan containing the eggs as'soon 

 as possible after they are taken. The eggs are taken in a pan without 

 any water and milt enough is used to insure its coming in contact 

 with each egg. After the eggs and milt are obtained the pan is gently 

 tilted from side to side and the mass of eggs and milt stirred with the 

 fingers until it is thoroughly mixed. The pan is then filled about two- 

 thirds full of water and left until the eggs separate, the time varying 

 from 1 to li hours, according to the number of eggs and the condition 

 of the atmosphere. 



After the eggs cease to stick to each other and to the sides of the pan 

 they are washed clean by repeated rinsings and taken to the hatching- 

 house, where they are measured and put in troughs. The percentage 

 of eggs impregnated varies with dift'erent seasons, places, and methods 

 of handling, but it is safe to say that 90 per cent of the eggs taken are 

 impregnated. 



The eggs of the quinnat salmon are of a deep salmon-red color. They 

 are heavier than water. Their size varies somewhat, but averages about 

 "1% or -f-^ of an inch ; from 12 to 18 are covered by a square inch. The 

 number in a quart is about 3,700. 



HATCHING APPARATUS AND METHODS. 



The hatching apparatus generally emj^loyed on the Pacific coast in 

 salmon propagation consists of a combination of troughs a>nd baskets. 

 The troughs in common use are the so-called '' Williamson troughs," 

 which are 16 feet long, 12 or 16 inches wide, and 6i inches dee^. The 

 troughs are arranged in pairs, and usually two or three pairs are placed 

 end to end on different levels. The fall of water in each trough is 1^ 

 inches. The troughs are divided by double partitions of wood or metal 

 into com;partments just enough longer than the baskets to enable the 

 latter to be raised and lowered and to be tilted slightly. The essential 

 feature of these troughs is thait at the lower end of each compartment 

 a partition, extending entirely across the trough, reaches from the 

 bottom almost to the top, and another similar partition at the upper 

 end of the compartment reaches from the top almost to the bottom of the 

 trough, each set of partitions being about an inch apart. The water 

 is consequently forced to fiow under the upper partition and over the 

 lower partition, and in order to do this it must necessarily ascend 

 through the tray of eggs The troughs are provided with covers made 

 of canvas stretched upon light frames, and made sunlight proof by 

 saturation with asphaltum varnish. The interior of the troughs is 

 thickly coated with asphaltum. 



