368 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



strong brine solution. The darting circling movement ceased at once, the 

 fish fed ravenously and began to make a rapid growth. All the affected iisli 

 in the hatchery were then given the same treatment, and two weeks later 

 on the reappearance of some of the symptoms, these were quickly dispersed by 

 another application of the solution. From that time on the tish gained in 

 health and there was no recurrence of the trouble. Many of them were dis- 

 tributed in the spring, and all that remained on hand at the close of the 

 year were normal in every respect, being at that time fiugerlings from 2% to 5 

 inches long. 



From 50,000 eyed Loch Leven trout eggs received from the Bozeman (Mont.) 

 field 49,700 fry were batched. At the outset the young fish appeared to be 

 in good condition, but they weakened later and many died, the remedial meas- 

 ures resorted to affording but little relief. The survivors, amounting to about 

 40 per cent of the original stock, were distributed to applicants in the No. 2 

 fingerling stage. 



The outcome of the work in the propagation of the pond fishes was ma- 

 terially less successful than in 1925, the distribution of all species amounting 

 to only 83,755, as compared with,152,072 in the preceding year. 



Bourbon (Mo.) Substation. — This station is operated under a cooperative 

 agreement with the Von Hoffman Press Estate, of St. Louis. Mo., and in ac- 

 cordance with its terms the bureau receives a certain percentage of all eyed 

 rainbow-trout eggs produced, that being the only species of fish handled. As 

 the result of a large loss of brood fish early in the season, the rainbow egg 

 collections made between November 15 and February 15 proved somewhat 

 disappointing. The bureau received 5S3,185 eyed eggs as its share and shipped 

 them all to applicants in Missouri, Colorado, and Arkansas. 



Langdon (Kans.) substation. — In addition to the fish obtained froni the 

 Catte ponds, which are leased by the bureau, considerable numbers of lisb 

 were purchased from owners of ponds in the immediate vicinity. The results 

 of the year's work in this field were about the same as in the preceding 

 year. 



White Sulphur Springs ( W. Va.) Station 



[Edw. M. Haynes, Superintendent! 



Air and water conditions during the year were in the main suitable for fish- 

 cultural operations, and under these favorable auspices the station was able 

 to produce a record output of brook trout and rainbow trout. One of the 

 most favorable features of the work was the comparative freedom from fish 

 diseases. Though all available space in the troughs and ponds was crowded 

 to its utmost capacity throughout the season, the percentage of eggs hatched 

 was excellent while the losses of fry and fingerling fish were small and all 

 stock was strong and vigorous when distributed. 



At this station the brood stock of rainbow trout consists principally of fish 

 2 and 3 years old. past experience having demonstrated that young fish are 

 apt to be stronger and more virile than older ones and their eggs of a better 

 quality. The policy lias therefore been adopted of liberating the older stock 

 in local streams immediately after the close of the spawning season and 

 replacing them with young fish reared for the purpose. The rainbow trout 

 began spawning on October 2S, about two weeks earlier than last year, and 

 the last eggs of the season were taken on January 11. The yield amounted 

 to 1,480.000, of which 71 per cent were brought to the eyed stage. A total 

 of 229,150 eyed eggs was shipped to applicants and other stations of the 

 bureau. The remainder were hatched and the product reared to the "fingerling 

 stage, at which time most of them were distributed. Part of the 20.000 fish 

 of this lot on hand at the close of the year are intended for brood stock. 



As only a few adult brook trout are maintained at this point, the egg 

 collections aggregated only 67,000. In pursuance of a cooperative agreement 

 the State of West Virginia purchased 1.002.000 eyed brook-trout eggs from a 

 commercial dealer for incubation in the station hatchery, and 1.301.100 eggs 

 were acquired from other sources, principally through exchange for eggs of 

 other species. Virtually all of the eggs were of fine quality and produced 

 healthy fry, the percentage of hatch on the various lots ranging from 93.2 to 

 98.4 per cent. Among them were 5,000 eggs from albino trout, donated by the 

 Minnesota fish commission. The fish from this lot will be reared for use as 

 a brood stock. 



