REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 63 
discontinued entirely, the station depending on collections at Bellevue 
for its supply of this important fish. The large ponds formerly used 
for the bass work were devoted to the culture of brook and rainbow 
trout, with very gratifying results, the adult trout having a much wider 
range and being able to secure a large amount of natural food. 
The brook-trout fry on hand at the beginning of the year numbered 
30,800, of which 19,600 were distributed during the fall. The stock 
of breeders consisted of 1,810 two-year-olds and 500 adults. These 
fish have been kept in the old bass ponds for several months, and 
were in excellent condition. From the 487 ripe females available 
175,920 eggs were secured, or an average of 359 per fish. They were 
of excellent quality, and hatched 98 per cent of strong, vigorous fry. 
On January 18th, 189,420 eyed eggs were received in good condition 
from Mr. H. F. Hurlbut, of East Freetown, Mass., and in February 
another lot of 50,000 came in from Leadville, with a loss of only 210. 
From these eggs, amounting to 413,340, 370,495 fry were hatched, 
257,500 being distributed to applicants and planted in public waters 
during the spring, and 60,000 held for shipment in the fall. 
The rainbow trout on hand in July were carried until fall, when 
13,635 were distributed, the loss during this time being very slight. 
The breeders, consisting of 3,600 three-year-old and 1,340 four-year-old 
fish, yielded the first eggs on December 31, and collections continued 
until the end of March, 415,330 eggs being secured. The results were 
very disappointing, as only 588 ripe females were available. The fish 
are in excellent condition, though, and it is hoped that the yield next 
year will be considerably over a million. Of the eggs obtained, 126,000 
were shipped to other stations and 206,155 were hatched, 124,000 fry 
being distributed during the spring and 75,000 held for fall distribution. 
Between October 27 and November 24 the Loch Leven trout on hand 
yielded 4,680 eggs, an average of 520 per fish. From this lot 3,830 
fry were hatched. The fry on hand at the beginning of the year were 
planted during the fall in the Maquoketa River, near Manchester, as 
there were no applicants for this fish. 
Several of the 35-year-old grayling reared at the station produced 
eggs during April and May, but as no ripe males were found an effort 
was made to fertilize them with milt from the rainbow trout, but 
without success. Of the 5,000 fry on hand at the beginning of the 
year, 3,000 were planted in a stream near the station, the loss during 
the time they were held amounting to 2,000. 
All of the brood trout and yearlings were kept as usual during the 
spring and summer in troughs and nursery ponds, their principal food 
throughout the year consisting of a mush made of beef liver and 
shorts boiled in varying proportions, according to the age of the fish, 
though a considerable amount of minnows and other live food, col- 
lected from streams in the vicinity, was utilized in this way. 
Very heavy losses of trout occurred again during the spring from 
