REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 99 



Inquiry, was sent to this station in December. Examinations with 

 the microscope led him to express the opinion, in a preliminary report, 

 dated January 17, 1892, that eggs of this character are the production 

 of individuals, not existing among all and hence not epidemic; that 

 the disorder was nonparasitic, but resulted from inflamed ovaries. 



The trout began spawning November 18, continuing for 117 days; 

 18,000 were taken in November, 145,000 in December, 137,000 in Janu- 

 ary, and 70,000 in February. Eggs were taken from 310 fish, the aver- 

 age being 1,22 1 per fish, and the total 378,500. In addition, 81,500 eggs 

 were received from Neosho Station, where the production was gTeatly 

 in excess of the rearing capacity. 



Eggs were transferred as follows : 



The consignment to Utah was unsuccessful, owing to use of sphagnum 

 moss which had not been sufficiently soaked in water, the expansion 

 taking place in the egg crate and increasing bulk to an extent to crush 

 the eggs. This was by oversight, it being the custom to give the moss 

 a water bath for two or three days in advance of the shipment. 



Although rainbow-trout eggs are handled in February and March, it 

 is not practicable to make up shipments after January, as it is difficult 

 to bring together enough of the same age. 



Eggs lost at the station were 142,000, the fry hatched being 183,000. 

 From those hatched 95,000 fry appeared in February. The fry com- 

 menced taking food in March, and in May all were sorted and counted. 



Black- spotted trout. — The brood fish on hand, 31 months old, spawned 

 in March, the first eggs being taken early in the month. These eggs 

 were not sufficiently fertilized and were without eftect. The females 

 were four to six weeks later than the males in maturing. An attempt 

 was made to increase the brood stock, and in July, 1892, fish of that 

 year were forwarded from Leadville Station, Colorado. The number 

 sent was 15,000, but only about 1,500 reached their destination alive, on 

 account of sickness of the messenger in charge. Food supplied the 

 young fish consisted of beef livers, from cold storage at Eoanoke, Ya., 

 and from Washington, D. C. The older fish are fed on mush composed 

 of common flour or shorts and liver, the proportion of the latter being 

 about one-fourth of the whole. 



Other species. — Black bass and other pond sjiecies were transferred 

 in April to summer ponds, spawning-beds being constructed for them. 

 The results were apparently satisfactory in all cases, it not being 



