46 REPORT OF COMMISSIONEK OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Witli tlir r;iinl)(»\v trout better results wore f^eciinMl. inoic than 2L*,(*00 

 fry beiiijn- on liaiul June ."50, 181)0, astlie product ot-!."),()<>(> c-^-is received 

 from AVytlievJIlc rebrnary 12. 



The earliest observed spawnini;' date of the .i^oldfisli was •Maicli lU; 

 of tlie car]>, May 5; of the tench, May 2.). 



J'redatory birds and other animals Averc very numerous. ;(ud numy 

 were destroyed. 



1. Si 10- ill. 



The fish available for (listrilmtion in October, l.SDO, consisted of the 

 judduction of the previous jiscal year. These numbered (>3,r)7(), and 

 were as follows: Kainbow trout, 21,051; Von Behr trout, 11,0;37; lake 

 trout, 500; rock bass, 1,380; carp, 1,782; tench, 0,907; ,c:oldfisb, 17,007. 



The black bass commen<'ed building their nests in the ])oim1s toward 

 the end of March, 1891, and more than fifty were observed. By June 

 30, 1891, many of the young- had attained a lengtli of li inches. 



Crappie, car]), tench, golden ide, rock bass, and goldfish, as well as 

 the black bass, re])roduced by natural methods, in the i)onds, the young- 

 being retained there until the season for distribution in the subsequent 

 fall months. An addition of 23 brood crappie was obtained through 

 the IMissouri fish commissioners. 



During cold weather it was observed that the carp and tench in the 

 ponds remained active, ihe cliannel catfish, however, being dormant. 



The golden ide received asfingerlings in December, 1889, made such 

 rapid growth that they were of an average length of 18 inches by June 

 30, 1891. They were at first very wild, but were rendered gentle by the 

 methods used in their feeding. 



The rock bass held as stock fish commenced spawning April 21,1891, 

 a chain of nests being formed around the margin of tlie pond in water 

 4 to inches deep. The nests were oblong hollows, the size of a hat 

 crown, and were covered Avith coarse gravel. Theie Avere 1,500 to 1,800 

 eggs in each, of a deep straw color, someAvhat smaller than shad eggs, 

 and slightly adhesiAC, though not in ]nmi)S. The nests Avere closely 

 guarded l>y the male j»arents, the period of hatching being eight to ten 

 days. 



A thousand rainbow tnmt, hatched in the spring of 1890, Avere re- 

 tained as brood fish and have made rapid groAvth. 



On January 17, 1891, 17,400 rainbow trout eggs were received from 

 Wytheville Station, Avhich aflbrdcd more than 13,000 fry for transfer to 

 the rearing ponds. 



A consignment of 17,(K)0 brook trout eggs arriv<Ml from ^S^orthvillc 

 Station .lanuary 25, 18in. The fry from these underwent a loss ^hile 

 in the yolk stage, as in the preceding year, but on April 1 more than 

 11,000 remained on hand fi)r rearing. By June 1 some of them Avere 3 

 inches long. 



