ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF TROUT. 25 



This case is 2 feet 4 inches square by 1 foot 7 inches deep, outside 

 measure. It has double walls and bottom made of 1-incli lumber, 

 and the 2-inch space between is filled with dry sphagnum moss or 

 gi'anulated cork, closely tamped. Two cleats are fastened to the bot- 

 tom to give free vent to the iron drain tube, which extends through 

 the insulation to the egg compartment as shown. The case has 

 handles for convenience in moving and is closed by a hinged cover. 

 The inside walls and bottom are lined with galvanized sheet iron 

 to exclude moisture from the insulating medium as far as possible. 

 After the lining is in place, two cleats 1 inch in thickness and. 2^ 

 inches wide are fastened to each inner wall of the case, eight in all, 

 as shown in the cut. These cleats extend from the bottom to with- 

 in 4 inches of the top and to them is fastened galvanized iron wire 

 screen of ^-inch mesh, thus forming a space about '2^ inches wide ex- 

 tending from the bottom of the case to within 4 inches of the top be- 

 tween the galvanized iron lining and the wire mesh, which is filled 

 with choj^ped ice when the case is in use. Thin strips of wood are 

 tacked over the wire mesh at the points of contact with the cleats. 

 These serve to hold the wire mesh in place and facilitate the plac- 

 ing or the removal of the egg trays. 



The remaining space in the center of the case is devoted to the egg 

 trays. These are frames 14 inches square, made of five-eighth by 

 three-eighth inch strips halved together at the corners and covered 

 with linen scrim firmly stretched and securely tacked to the frames. 

 The space i^rovided will accommodate 15 such trays, leaving a space 

 of 4 inches above for an ice tray. This is of galvanized iron 21 inches 

 square by 4 meshes deep and occupies the entire space above the ice 

 chambers and egg trays. The bottom of this tray has a double row 

 of one-eighth inch perforations along each side, permitting drainage 

 from melting ice down through the ice chambers and not over the egg 

 trays. To the bottom of the egg tray compartment are fastened 

 half-inch cleats, which hold the egg trays that distance from the bot- 

 tom. The trays are intended to carry eggs in a double layer, and 

 the case has a capacity for between 150,000 and 160,000 brook trout 

 eggs, or more, according to their size. 



TRANSPORTATION OF GREEN EGGS. 



While the transportation of green trout eggs can not be recom- 

 mended, it is sometimes necessary, and with great care it can be ac- 

 complished successfully provided the shipping destination is not more 

 than 48 hours distant. The eggs should not be packed until they are 

 thoroughly water-hardened, which will be within a few hours after 

 stripping if they are maintained at a temperature of 48 to 55° F. 

 Moderate success has been attained in shipping young eggs on trays, 

 but ordinary fruit jars are probably best adapted to the purpose, 

 and this is the form of container in general use. The jars are first 

 filled with water and the eggs are poured in gently in sufficient quan- 

 tity to replace about three- fourths of it. They are then sealed and 

 packed in dry moss to guard against changes in temperature. 



A satisfactory method of shipping green brook-trout eggs has been 

 developed at the Rocky Mountain trout stations of the bureau. This 



