PROPAGATION" AND "DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES, 1926 371 



brood stock of 515 fish being apportioned between them early in April. In 

 preparing the smallmouth bass fry for shipment they were transferred direct 

 from the ponds to the shipping containers, thus necessitating only a single 

 handling. As the production of young bream was considerably greater than 

 the demand for them, the surplus remaining after all listed applications had 

 been filled was utilized in stocking suitable public waters within reach of the 

 station. The year's distributions included small numbers of rock bass and 

 channel catfish, the latter being obtained by collection from the Ohio River. 



Lake-trout fry to the number of 14,750, the product of 15,000 eyed eggs for- 

 warded early in March from the Duluth (Minn.) hatchery, were turned over 

 to the Kentucky Game and Fish Commission for use in stocking a reservoir 

 on the Dix River in Mercer County, Ky. 



Mammoth Spring (Ark.) Station 

 [Dell Brown, Superintendent] 



In its work with the pond fishes, this station had one of the most successful 

 seasons in its history. In October, 1925, the pond devoted to rock-bass culture 

 was drained, and more than fifteen thousand 2-inch rock bass were obtained 

 for distribution to applicants in Arkansas and Louisiana. The stock of 232 

 adult smallmouth bass on hand began spawning on April 13, somewhat later 

 than usual. The fry grew rapidly, however, and 121,000 were taken from the 

 ponds before the close of the fiscal year and shipped to applicants. The 

 year's production of largemouth bass, though not as large as the crop of young 

 smallmouth bass, was fairly successful. The brood stock of 440 fish included 

 many that were not fully matured, and such fish always produce smaller than 

 the usual brood. Approximately 80,000 young largemouth bass had been dis- 

 tributed at the close of the year and a large number still remained in the 

 pond. The output from this station also included a considerable number of 

 bream and limited numbers of crappie and catfish. 



The dry weather and consequent low-water stages in many of the streams in 

 this region resulted in a material diminution of the supply of native game 

 fishes in public waters. 



Orangeburg (S. C.) Station 

 [G. W. N. Brown, Superintendent] 



Owing to a combination of unfavorable natural conditions the output of 

 black bass from this station was small as compared with the records of former 

 years. The unusually cold weather predominating during February and 

 early March unduly retarded the spawning season, and the prevalence of cold, 

 backward weather late in March after spawning had begun caused many of 

 the parent fish to desert their nests. It was observed in a number of in- 

 stances that brood fish were abandoning their nests after the fry had hatched, 

 leaving them prey to other fishes. Another contributing factor to the small 

 output was the existing drought, the water supply at one time being so low 

 that there was no current to carry the sediment out of the ponds. 



The bream shown in the tables of output were carried over from the hatch 

 of the preceding year and distributed to applicants as large-sized fingerlings. 

 At the close of the year it was impossible to form any accurate estimate of 

 the current season's hatch of bream. In addition to the output of bass and 

 bream, the station produced and distributed small numbers of warmouth bass, 

 crappie, and spotted catfish. 



San Marcos (Tex.) Station 



[O. N. Baldwin, Superintendent] 



Of the six species of pond fishes propagated at this station the largemouth 

 black bass is the most important. At the opening of the fiscal year 270 brood 

 fish of that species were on hand in the station ponds, most of them being of 

 rather small size. This stock was increased later to 480 by the addition of wild 

 bass captured in local waters. In advance of the spawning season the fish 

 were apportioned among the 14 breeding ponds devoted to the work, and on 



