48 V. S. BUREAU or riSHERTES, 



ing the water in the keg or can until all milt and sediment is washed 

 out and the water on the eggs is clear. After washing, the cans 

 sljould be filled with Avatcr and the eggs carefully watched. If the 

 eggs show any tendency toward cohesion, they must be thoroughly 

 agitated by carefully stirring Avith the- hand. This precaution is to 

 be taken throughout the time the eggs are in the possession of the 

 spawn taker, and the water in the cans must be changed at least 

 once an hour. Eggs taken from fish that have been in the nets more 

 than 24 houi^ are seldom good, though the fish apparently may be in 

 good condition. Eggs from dead fish are of no value. When 

 changing the water on the eggs, or during the washing process, do 

 not pour water directly on them, but lower the dipper into the 

 container before emptying or pour the water against its sides. The 

 more carefully the operations outlined are performed the greater the 

 percentage of fry that may be expected. 



BUFFALO FISH, ATCHAFALAYA (LA.) SUBSTATION. 



IC. F. Culler, in Charge.] 



With the active cooperation of the Louisiana Conservation Com- 

 mission in the form of financial aid in the operating costs of the 

 station, in furnishing boats and other transportation facilities for 

 the distribution of the output, and in other assistance the station in 

 Louisiana was opened in December for tlie propagation of the buffalo 

 fish. It was found necessary to move the hatchery building from 

 its original location on the Atchafalaya River near the railroad 

 station of the same name, because erosion of the river bank had 

 advanced to within 10 feet of the foundation posts. A site was 

 selected at Pelba, La., some 14 miles west of Atchafalaya, and the 

 building and its equipment relocated on the new site in time for the 

 incubation of the season's e<xg collections. 



Active fish-cultural operations began on March 1, when the first 

 eggs were taken. The water temperature at this time was 54° F. 

 and was immediately followed by a period of comparatively cold 

 weather with a continuation of the low-water temperature. The 

 incubation period on this lot of eggs was 21 days in a mean tem- 

 perature of 54° F., about twice the time required for incubation in 

 a water temperature of 60° F. Spawning continued until Ai:)ril 3, 

 and during that time 142,850,000 eggs were obtained. Some 

 29,850,000 of them were planted on the spawning grounds; the re- 

 mainder produced 51,000,000 fry for distribution. 



It seemed probable that the "new location of the hatchery Avould 

 afford a more satisfactory water supply, and during the earlv part 

 of the season this belief was justified. Later, with flood conditions 

 on the Ouachita River, the Atchafalaya River received a large volume 

 of turbid and discolored water, which, as in the past, caused a severe 

 mortality among the green eggs under incubation. It seems evident 

 that satisfactory water for the incubation of the eggs collected in 

 this section is not to be obtained from the Atchafalaya River, and 

 as cleaf water is available at no great depth by means of artesian 

 wells it may be advisable to resort to this means for obtaining suit- 

 able water for hatchery purposes. It has been observed each season 

 also that the turbid flood waters of the Ouachita River invariably 

 cause a withdrawal of all the spawning fish from the affected areas. 



