116 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



spawuing-ponds, it was found extensive losses had been sustained and, 

 to compensate, 900 fish, weighing on an average about 0.3 pound, were 

 purchased. It was believed tliat missing fish had been stolen, or pos- 

 sibly destroyed through cannibalism. 



Eggs were obtained from three sources, tlie ponds of the station, 

 Uneva Lake, and the private ponds of Dr. John Law. The collections 

 were satisfactory in number, but inferior in quality. The first were 

 taken October 28, the total collections from the station ponds being 

 208,800, of which 205,000 were obtained during Kovember. Nine trips 

 were made to Lake Unevji, where 70 adult trout, weighing nearly 3 

 pounds each, and 153,000 eggs were collected in November. The owners 

 of the fisli, Messrs. Searl and Lazeuby, by way of return, received 25 

 per cent of the fry in tlie summer following. After Dr. Law's hatchery 

 had been filled with eggs, he allowed the remainder to be taken by the 

 United States Fish Commission, and in December 50,000 were secured. 



Both those eggs from Uneva Lake and Dr. Law's establishment 

 proved to be of poor quality, 50,000 from the former place having been 

 discarded by December 31, and 40,000 frcrm the latter by February 28. 

 The losses were attributed to defective tertilizatiou. It is, moreover, 

 believed that the prolonged period of incubation, on account of low 

 temperature of the water, is of great disadvantage, eggs not being 

 hatched till the end of five months. The temperature throughout this 

 period remained at 34^ F. On January 31 the eggs in Dr. Law's 

 hatchei^y, in a temperature of 43° to 4:4P, were nearly all hatched, they 

 having been taken in the month of November. 



Black- spotted trout. — The results with this species in small breeding- 

 ponds have not been satisfactory. Out of about 4,000 adults captured 

 and confined at the station during the four preceding years, but 800 

 were this year surviving, and it is believed that the only source of 

 dependence for eggs will be on wild fish in open streams and lakes of 

 this region, the most inviting field being Twin Lakes. Eggs collected 

 amounted to 118,600, all at the station except 18,000 from Sweetwater 

 Lake. Attempted collections at the latter place were in conjunction 

 with the State fish commissioners of Colorado. The first eggs of the 

 season were taken May 25, collections for that month amounting to 

 nearly 35,000, and in June about 83,000. A shipment of 20,000 was 

 made to the World's Fair, Chicago. 



Rainbow trout. — In June there were taken from fish confined in the 

 I)onds 0,200 eggs, of which 5,005 remained on hand June 30, 1893. 



Loch Leven trout. — Eggs to the number of 75,000 were received from 

 the Northville Station by express freight February 14. On unpacking 

 they appeared to be in good condition, but on the succeeding day as 

 many as 10,000 hatched prematurely. The hatching of the remainder 

 was normal, but before the feeding stage was reached about 65 per cent 

 perished. 



In February the mean air temperature was 15°, with a snow-fall of 

 5J feet. This remained on the ground to such an extent that in the 



