52 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN TROUT STATIONS. 



BOZEMAN (MONT.) STATION AND SUBSTATIONS. 

 [W. T. Thompson, Superintendent.] 



Although the cold, stormy weather of winter was unduly pro- 

 tracted, interfering with fish-cultural work into the late spring 

 months, a satisfactory season is to be recorded in this field. With 

 Bozeman station as headquarters an auxiliary station is operated at 

 Meadow Creek, in the Madison Valley, and substations in the Glacier 

 National Park and the Yellowstone Park. 



BOZEMAN (MONT.) STATION. 



Fish-cultural work at the Bozeman station was confined to the in- 

 cubation of eggs transferred from other points, these transfers 

 amounting to 1,357,200 rainbow-trout eggs from Meadow Creek, 

 1,236,400 blackspotted-trout eggs from Yellowstone Parkj and brook- 

 trout eggs from the Springville and Leadville stations m the num- 

 bers of 350,000 and 782,000, respectively. Part of the rainbow-trout 

 eggs were shipped to applicants and other stations; the remainder 

 were hatched and distributed as fry and fingerlings to fill the de- 

 mands for them in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, and 

 Oregon. Approximately 800,000 fry of the fainbow trout and black- 

 spotted trout remained on hand at the close of the fiscal year. 



MEADOW CREliK (MONT.) AUXILIARY STATION. 



The Meadow Creek egg-collecting or auxiliary station was opened 

 on April 9. The weather throughout the spring was cold and stormy, 

 and there was no clearly defined run of fish, as is the case under more 

 favorable conditions. The first rainbow trout appeared at the rack 

 early in April, and the run continued at intervals up to June 10, 

 during which period 2,273,000 eggs were taken. Of this number 

 1,357,200 were sent to the Bozeman station. The eggs taken during 

 the latter half of the spawning season were of poorer quality than 

 usual, pro])ably because of the turbid water, which was materially 

 affected l)y the storm conditions. The results of hatching were there- 

 fore disapiK)inting, and of those retained for stocking home waters 

 only 3()(),()00 fry were realized. Near the close of the fiscal year 

 .500.000 ]jliU'ksi)otte(l-trout eggs were received at the Meadow Creek 

 hatchery from the State hatchery at Anaconda, and these, with 

 30,000 rainboAV-trout fry, were on hand June 30. 



Mixed in with the rainbow-trout run were a limited number of 

 grayling, though not sufficient to warrant spawn taking. The fish 

 appeared to have been driven into the lake by the soft ice in the 

 stream shortly after their appearance at the racks, the grayling evi- 

 dently being very susceptible to influences of this kind. In recent 

 years grayling have deserted the Meadow Creek spawning grounds, 

 to which they formerly ascended in considerable numbers every 

 spring. Whether or not the successful establishment of the rainbow 

 trout therein is responsible for the abandonment of the stream by the 

 grayling is conjectural, but the present spawning grounds of the fish 

 in the region are unknown, though several attempts have been made 

 to locate them. 



