PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1931 677 



Tishomingo (Okla.) substation. — A low head dam and race for conducting the 

 water supply to the ponds was built. The dam is of concrete, across Pennington 

 Creek, and the present length of the race is 5,500 feet. In the construction of the 

 race approximately 7,000 yards of rock and earth were moved, and 4 tons of 

 dynamite were used to assist in its removal. Eight ponds covering an area of 

 14 acres and six minnow ponds were built during the year, necessitating the 

 removal of some 25,000 yards of earth. A collection of brood bass was obtained 

 prior to the spawning season, but the occurrence of frosts all through Oklahoma 

 late in April killed practically all the eggs deposited by the fish. 



WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS (W, VA.) STATION 



[Edward M. Haynes, Superintendent] 



Though hampered to some extent by a protracted period of drought, the year's 

 activities in this field yielded fairly successful results. Trout eggs numbering 

 2,335,000 were collected, of which 1,805,000 were rainbow trout and the remainder 

 Loch Leven trout. Cooperative relations were continued with the Cheat Club, 

 of Durbin, W. Va., and the agreement heretofore effective with the West Virginia 

 Game and Fish Commission was still in force. Under this arrangement the State 

 purchased 1,200,000 eyed brook trout eggs for the bureau's and its own require- 

 ments and received in return 362,600 fingerling brook trout and 25,000 each of 

 the Loch Leven and rainbow trout. In all 2,663,000 brook trout eggs were 

 handled, of which number 1,663,000 were derived through the medium of 

 exchange. The year's distributions of this species consisted of 1,117,720 large- 

 sized fingerlings. The station brood stock of Loch Leven trout produced 530,000 

 eggs and 200,000 additional were received from the Bozeman (Mont.) station. 

 The year's distribution of fingerling fish of this species amounted to 343,806. 

 Of the rainbow trout eggs collected, 627,300 were shipped on assignment when 

 eyed, and from the remainder 310,133 large fingerlings were incubated and reared. 

 There was a substantial increase in the output of the warm-water pond fishes, the 

 unfavorable effects of the drought not being so pronounced as in some years. 

 The output of these species included 77,206 black bass, 6,600 rock bass, and 17,800 

 bream. At the close of the year there were on hand 150,000 brook trout, 55,000 

 rainbow trout, and 5,000 Loch Leven trout, all fingerlings. No new construction 

 of any kind was undertaken during the year; but all buildings, grounds, and 

 equipment received prompt attention when in need of repairs. 



WTTHEVILLE (VA.) STATION 



[C. B. Grater and S. A. Scott, Superintendents] 



The output for the year consisted of 331,360 rainbow trout, 245,775 brook 

 trout, 24,425 largemouth black bass, 900 smallmouth black bass, 33,500 bluegill 

 sunfish, 8,500 rock bass, and 500 catfish. At the close of the year 95,000 rainbow 

 and 244,400 brook trout were on hand. With the view of producing larger size 

 trout for distribution, a parcel of land known as the Pannell Spring was leased 

 and a number of nursery ponds were constructed. This land is about 3 miles 

 from the Wytheville station, and when completed it wiU have a capacity for 

 rearing three hundred thousand 4-inch trout. During the year the Virginia 

 Department of Game and Inland Fisheries leased to the bureau the State hatchery 

 at Newcastle, Va., and it is now being operated under the supervision of this 

 station. Considerable work was done toward painting and improving the 

 hatchery and residence interiors. The roof of the settling tank was repaired 

 by replacing the rotten sills and putting on a slate covered roofing. The entire 

 place with the exception of a distance of about 40 rods was inclosed with a new 

 fence. Three cooperative nurseries operating under the supervision of this 

 station were furnished 20,000 rainbow trout and 51,000 brook trout. 



POND FISH STATIONS 



Stations restricting their production to pond fishes are naturally 

 confined to sections of the United States where waters of sufficiently 

 high temperature are available. The feeding habits of these fish 

 necessitate the production of natural foods, which practice requires 

 the utilization of large pond areas. Plant and insect growth are 



