484 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



eyed pike-perch eggs transferred from the Swanton (Vt.) hatchery, and dis- 

 tril)uted the product as fry. Eggs were obtained from the small brood stock of 

 brook trout and rainbow trout, carried in the station ponds, between November 

 11 and January 14, the first-named species yielding about 28,000 and the rain- 

 bows slightly in excess of 125,000. This supply was supplemented by the pur- 

 chase of 694,000 brook-trout eggs from commercial dealers in New England and 

 the transfer of 53,000 rainbow trout eggs from the White Sulphur Springs (W. 

 Va.) hatchery. There was a very heavy loss of fry resulting from one lot of the 

 commercial eggs, the mortality amounting to nearly 50 per cent of the original 

 stock. From approximately 23,000 landlocked-salmon eggs, shipped during the 

 spring from the Craig Brook (Me.) station, 20,000 fiugerUng fish were produced 

 and distributed. About the middle of June the station force undertook the 

 collection of smallmouth-bass fry from Lake Sunapee for supplying applicants, 

 but owing to the high winds, which prevailed almost continuously during the 

 hatching period and until the schools of frj' had dispersed, the attempt was almost 

 a failure, only 28,000 being secured. 



COMBINATION TROUT AND POND STATIONS 



At these stations, located in the States of Iowa, West Virginia, 

 Virginia, Tennessee, and Missouri, the fishes propagated included 

 not only the various trouts but also several species of warm-water 

 pondfishes. Fish-cultural activities of some kind are in progress 

 throughout the year, which makes these stations very attractive to 

 the general public. As compared with last year's results, the pro- 

 duction of both trout and pondfishes was materially increased. 



Erwin (Tenn.), Station 

 [A. G. Keesecker, Superintendent] 



The species of fish propagated at this station during the past year included 

 rainbow. Loch Leven, and brook trout, steelhead salmon, largemouth and small- 

 mouth black bass, rock bass, and sunfish. The total distributions of fish and fish 

 eggs exceeded those of the previous j'ear by approximately 165,000. Between 

 November 2 and January 6 the brood stock of rainbow trout jaelded 647,700 

 eggs. Though the collection was considerably smaller than that of the previous 

 year, the ciuality of the eggs was far superior, over 72 per cent being successfully 

 eyed, as compared with less than 63 per cent in 1924. This improvement in 

 fertility is attributed to the fact that a large part of the brood stock consisted 

 of young fish that had been reared in earth-bottom ponds containing a plentiful 

 supply of natural food. A consignment of 25,000 eyed rainbow-trout eggs taken 

 from Vv'ild fish was received during the spring from the Meadow Creek (Mont.) 

 field. The fry hatched from them will be reared for increasing the station 

 brood stock of that species. 



Four hundred and fifty thousand brook-trout eggs of good quality, received 

 early in the winter from one of the commercial hatcheries in Massachusetts, 

 yielded 386,750 No. 2 fingerling fish for distribution. The brood steelhead 

 salmon held in the station ponds spawned between June 13 and March 24, 

 yielding approximately 264,000 eggs. Their fertility was poor, only about 60 

 per cent surviving to the eyed stage and less than 30 per cent producing fry. In 

 view of the unsatisfactory results attained it was decided to discontinue the 

 propagation of the species and the brood stock was distributed by one of the 

 bureau's cars during the spring. 



The output of pondfishes was somewhat larger than in the preceding year, and 

 at the close of June from 60,000 to 70,000 of the various species were being carried 

 in the ponds for fall distribution. All buildings on the station grounds were 

 painted during the year, this Vjeing the only improvement for which funds were 

 available. 



Manchester (Iowa) Station 

 [F. E. Hare, Superintendent] 



On June 15, 1925, the Manchester station had the misfortune to receive the 

 full effects of one of the severest rainstorms that has ever visited this region. 

 The storm broke suddenly and with unparalleled fury, washing out roadways, 



