16 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



turned over to the superintendeut, aud arrangements were at once made 

 for the construction and introduction of tlie necessary hatching-troughs, 

 water supply, and drain pipes. An outbuikiing, ice-house, and flag- 

 staff ^yere erected during the summer. A dam was constructed on the 

 spring brook west of the hatchery, under the direction of Mr. G. H. 

 Sclmeider. A small house was erected over the spring reservoir at the 

 dam, and a 3-inch pipe was laid from the dam to the hatchery, which 

 afforded a small supply of water. Fences were built along the highway 

 and surrounding the station property back of the woods. During the 

 summer and fall 40 hatching-troughs, equipped with screens and supply 

 tanks, were made by the regular employees of the station. 



Owing to the large amount of sediment with which the water was 

 charged it was deemed necessary to provide filter screens at each spigot. 

 The superintendent devised a new form of spigot, with a hood, for sup- 

 plying the troughs, as he found that with those in use the water spurted 

 over the aerating board, instead of falling against it, thus making it 

 impossible to keep the eggs on the trays. 



As the equipment of the hatchery was not completed until late in the 

 fall, and the spring water supply was inadequate for the conduct of fish- 

 cultural operations on a large scale, no efforts were made to collect eggs 

 during the season, but on January 10 a consignment of 50,000 lake-trout 

 eggs was received from Korthville Station in excellent condition, only 

 87 dead ones being found. They were laid down in four troughs, with 

 an average water supply of 2 gallons per minute, which was the total 

 output of tlie spring at that time. The eggs commenced hatching on 

 January 20, finishing March 31, with a loss of about 2^ per cent. The 

 heavy thaw on the 7th of February caused a greatly increased volume 

 of water, accompanied with a fine sediment, which adhered to the 

 eggs and appeared to smother the fry. The variation in the water 

 supply and the accompanying variations in its consistency continued 

 to the end of the year, and frequently it would be so roily for days at a 

 time that neither eggs nor fry could be seen. The longest period in 

 which it was impossible to see to pick over the fry was five days. The 

 volume of the spring during June was about 18J gallons, which seems 

 to be its normal capacity. The heavy losses of fry which occurred in 

 May and June were due not only to the condition of the water, but also 

 to the small amount available for each trough, namely, 2 gallons per 

 minute, the average temi^erature being 52°. On June 28, 1895, the 

 supply was increased by the introduction of water from the Sleeper 

 Ptiver. On April 20, 25,000 steelhead-trout eggs were received from 

 the Fort Gaston Station. They had been en route nine days, and 

 though the upper trays nearest the ice were in good condition, the eggs 

 in the lower trays had hatched and the fry were dead. The immediate 

 loss was estimated at 8,500, and the loss in the troughs to the end of 

 June was 9,827 additional. The 0,073 fry left at the close of the year 

 were active, healthy fish, and took their food freely. 



