PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1923. 45 



CAPE VINCENT (N. Y.) STATION. 

 [J. r. Snydeu, Superintendent.] 



The i-epair work in progress at this station at the opening of the 

 fiscal year was completed during the summer. Among the more 

 important items accomplished were the following: Construction and 

 installation in the fry building of two plank metal-lined tanks 17 

 feet long, 36 inches wide, and 30 inches high ; removal of a defective 

 hardwood supporting timber in the basement of the hatchery and 

 replacing it with a new one; placing metal plates along the water 

 line forward to protect the planking of the launch Curlew,, and in- 

 stalling an electric-lighting plant on this launch. There being an 

 excess of exhaust steam above the amount required for heating the 

 hatchery, an underground exhaust-steam line was run to the resi- 

 dence and connected Avith the heating plant. The return pipes were 

 carried back to the hatchery, where provision was made to use the 

 hot condensed water in the boiler again. 



A new '28-foot pound-net boat was purchased in advance of the 

 fish-cultural season. This boat has a 9-foot beam and is equipped 

 with a 14-horsepower, 2-cylinder, 4-cycle Regal motor. The shaft is 

 fitted with a universal joint to permit the lifting of the wheel when 

 running through shallow water. 



The season's fish-cultural operations began on October 17 with 

 the taking of the first lake-trout eggs in the Pigeon Island, Canada, 

 field. The collections extended to November 12, and as the}' were 

 conducted under favorable weather conditions more eggs than usual 

 were secured, the total amounting to 1,281,000. Of these, 60,000 

 were shipped in the eyed stage, and the losses on the remainder to 

 the time the resulting fry were distributed amounted to 11 per cent 

 of the eggs retained for hatching. Very poor results were attained 

 from a consignment of 4,880,000 green lake-trout eggs received in 

 November from the Charlevoix (Mich.) substation. Nearly half 

 of them were dead on arrival, and the losses continued heavy up to 

 the middle of Januarv. The output from this shipment amounted to 

 480,000 eyed eggs and 595,440 fry. 



Permission having been obtained for the collection of whitefish 

 spawn from nets operating along the Canadian shore of Lake On- 

 tario, work was undertaken on the 1st of November at Bygotts Point 

 and Deseronto, in the Bay of Quinte. and at a later period in the 

 South Bay field. No eggs having heretofore been available on these 

 grounds prior to November 3, it was assumed that the landing of the 

 spawning creAv on November 1 Avould be sufficiently early, but on the 

 arrival of the men it was learned that the fish had been spawning 

 for several days and that considerable numbers of eggs had been 

 lost. No explanation can be offered to account for this spawning, 

 as the season ]:)egan later than usual in the field near South Bay, 

 Ontario, and also in Chaumont Bay, in the New York waters of the 

 lake. Notwithstanding these losses of eggs the jars in the Cape 

 Vincent hatchery were filled to capacity before the season closed, and 

 77,009.000 additional eggs were furnished to the Canadian and New 

 York fisheries authorities. The total collection for the season ag- 

 gregated 228,650.000. of which 214,000,000 were obtained in the 

 Canadian fields, and 14,650,000 in Chaumont Bay. 



