PROPAGATION AJSID DISTRIBUTION OF POOD PISHES, l!J26 367 



Shipments totaling 131,640 eyed eggs were forwarded to the State hatcheries 

 at Waynesville and Marion, N. C, and the young fish hatched from the re- 

 mainder were distributed as fingerlings to applicants. During the spring of 

 1926, 24,580 eyed rainbow-trout eggs were received from the Madison Valley 

 (Mout.) field. The product of these will be utilized to augment the station 

 brood stock. In its work with the brook trout this station always has depended 

 upon purchases of eggs from commercial fish-culturists, but during the past 

 season 396,000 brook-trout eggs were received from a dealer in Pennsylvania 

 in exchange for eggs of other species. The fry resulting from these eggs 

 were reared to fingerlings Nos. l</> and 2 before being distributed. 



The total output of pond fish of all species slightly exceeded that of the 

 previous fiscal year, and about 50,000 black bass, rock bass, and sunfish were 

 on hand at the close of the year. 



Manchester (Iowa) Station 

 [G. H. Gill, Superintendent] 



The serious damage to the station occasioned by the flood in June, 1925, 

 which included the loss of virtually all brood fish on hand, was largely 

 repaired in the course of the fiscal year 1926. The large quantities of sand 

 and refuse deposited were removed from the ponds and grounds, the road- 

 ways were rebuilt, broken pipe lines replaced, and a new 55-foot truss bridge 

 with cement flooring was constructed across Spring Branch. A retaining 

 wall 190 feet long, 10 feet high, and 2 to 3 feet thick was built as a protection 

 against future floods. 



A considerable number of adult rainbow trout that escaped during the flood 

 into Maquoketa River and Spring Branch were later recovered by seining. 

 This stock of 650 fish yielded 419,000 eggs, of which 111,000 in the eyed stage 

 were exchanged for eggs of the brook trout. The remainder were incubated. 

 During the spring a consignment of 25,000 eyed eggs from wild rainbow trout, 

 received from the Bozeman (Mont.) field, were successfully incubated. The 

 product of these eggs will be reared for a future brood stock. In addition to 

 the older brood fish on hand, the station has about S00 yearling rainbow trout 

 and a large number of 8 to 10 inch fingerlings, and it is anticipated that it will 

 soon be in a position at least to equal its former large production of eggs. 



During November and December 700,000 brook-trout eggs and 100,000 Loch 

 Leven trout eggs, all of them eyed, were received. The former lot, furnished 

 by a commercial dealer in Colorado in exchange for eggs of other species, was 

 incubated with light loss, and about half of the product was distributed as 

 fingerling fish. The remainder are being held for later distribution. An excel- 

 lent percentage of hatch was attained from the Loch Leven trout eggs, and all 

 but 36,000 of the resulting fingerlings were distributed prior to June 30. 



Owing to the loss of brood stock and the damage to the ponds, only a negli- 

 gible number of pond fishes were produced. These were being held at the close 

 of the season for distribution when the ponds are drained in the fall. Small 

 numbers of brood largemouth black bass, smallmouth bass, and sunfish have 

 been secured, and the production of these fishes on a larger scale will be 

 resumed during the coming season. 



Neosho (Mo.) Station and Substations 

 [J. P. Snyder, in charge] 



As in the past, fish-cultural activities at this station were directed mainly 

 to the propagation of rainbow trout and largemouth black bass, though small 

 numbers of fish of other species were produced^ incidentally. The largest sea- 

 son's collection of rainbow-trout eggs ever made here was obtained from the 

 station brood stock between November 1 and February 28, the total amounting 

 to 1.640,000, of which 77 per cent were developed to the eyed stage. Eyed 

 eggs to the number of 1,081,000 were supplied to applicants and to other 

 hatcheries of the bureau. When the fry hatched from the remaining eggs 

 were a month old they were suddenly attacked by some disease, the most 

 noticeable symptom being a swift darting and whirling motion. They refused 

 to eat, became thin, and the death rate increased rapidly. Light salt baths 

 were given without apparent effect, but a marked and immediate improvement 

 was shown in the condition of a lot that was immersed experimentally in a 



