REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 107 



losses occurred amounting to 139,000, and as a result distribution was 

 commenced, ,*U0,000 being liberated in that monlli. The mortality 

 continued, and during August 100,000 additional lish were liberated, 

 completing the distribution. 



Lali-e trout. — On October 1 preparations were commenced looking to 

 the collection of lake-trout eggs at Isle Koyale. This island, in the 

 iiorthwesteru portion of Lake Superior, is an uninhabited wilderness 

 of Jagged rocks and tangled thickets, containing neither trails, paths, 

 nor roads, and visited by one steamer only, whose service is irregular. 

 At Grand Portage a few eggs were obtained from fish caught in i)()und 

 nets, all others being from gill-net captures. Tlie weather was exceed- 

 ingly stormy, and the quality of eggs poor. The first eggs were received 

 .at the station October 4, packed in boxes. Other shipments followed 

 throughout this month and in November, the spawn-takers returning 

 November 19. Low air temperature destroyed a number of eggs in 

 shipment and the slirinkage was great. Measured on December 13, the 

 total number was found to be 1,527,000. The first hatching occurred 

 21st December, 10,000 having come out from the eggs by tlie end of 

 the month, the last hatching occurring May 10. Fry were liberated in 

 sixteen lots, March 8 to April 10, aggregating 850,000, there being left on 

 hand April 15, 400,000 eggs and 095,000 fry. Losses in May amounted 

 to 5,000, and in June to 15,000. There being a mortality of 0,000 on 

 June 19, gravity water was discontinued, the pumps supplying water 

 from the lake. Distribution during the month amounted to 1,075,000, 

 deposited near the shores of Michigan and Minnesota, the total libera- 

 tion iluring the year being 2,305,000. 



Whitejish. — There were collected by station employees in the fall 

 750,000 eggs of whitefish, the number on hand December 13 being esti- 

 mated at 500,000. This number being insufficient for stocking waters 

 of that region, eggs were assigned from Alpena and Put-in Bay stations, 

 0,000,000 being received from the former, with a transportation loss of 

 18,000, February 24, and 5,000,000 from the latter station, with a loss 

 of 300,000, March 1. Between April 1 and 10 four lots of fry liberated in 

 the vicinity amounted to 145,000, leaving 10,382,000 eggs and 100,000 

 fry on hand April 15. During April 300,000, fry were liberated, and in 

 May 10, 182,000, of which 2,982,000 were put out in the vicinity of the 

 station, 0,000,000 near the shores of Wisconsin, 1,500,000 near the shores 

 of Michigan, the last eggs hatching May 24. In December, 1892, young 

 whitetish appearing in the vicinity of the station (an unusual occur- 

 rence), specimens were sent to Washington for identification. 



Rainhoiv trout. — The Neosho Station being overrun with rainbow- 

 trout eggs, two consignments were made to the Duluth Station, 75,000 

 being received February 11 and 25,000 February 15. The losses from 

 date of receipt to April 15 amounted to 5,000, leaving on hand 20,000 

 eggs and 70,000 y(mng. There were lost subse(iuently, 750 in April, 

 0,000 in May, and 250 in June, the last hatching occurring May 21. The 

 dist»ribution of 83,000 occurred in June, 43,000 being jjlaccd in tlie St. 



