REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 51 



It has been noted that the buffalofish is very irregular in its move- 

 ments, apparently spav/ning without reference to weather conditions 

 or locality, and thereby increasing the difficulties connected with its 

 artihcial propagation m considerable numbers. Some difficulty was 

 experienced m hatchmg the eggs obtained, owmg either to improper 

 handlmg m the jars or to their immaturity. The fry that hatched 

 broke the shell in from 15 to 17 days, hi a water temperature vaiying 

 from 58° to 61° F. There was some variation in the size of the eggs, 

 which ran from 13 to 15 to the linear mch after water hardenmg and 

 about 21 to the mch when first taken. It was decided that 14 to the 

 mch was a fair average, and, taking this as a basis, 180,000 eggs were 

 figured to the quart. 



The fry of the small-mouth buffalo are very active, in contrast to 

 the young of the black and common species, which remam dormant 

 in the jars after hatching. 



The nets of the commercial fishermen were the mam dependence 

 for eggs, a source which proved unreliable. It was intended to test 

 thoroughly the feasibility of penning fish in natural ponds, but con- 

 tmued high water hiterfered with this plan and it was necessary to . 

 hold them in ovei-flowed grounds along the river. In order to attain 

 success m the buffalo work it is believed the adult fish will have to be 

 under control durmg the whole of the spawnmg season, and as it is 

 impracticable to hold them in crates or live cars dependence must be 

 placed on ponds of natural construction, thus restricting the work to 

 permanent stations within easy reach of the rivers from which the 

 fish are obtamed. 



Sturgeon work in Minnesota. — The sturgeoji investigations in prog- 

 ress in the Lake of the Woods at the close of the preceding year, under 

 the general direction of the superhitendent of the Duluth station, were 

 contmued m 1912. Early in March, in advance of the supposed 

 spawnmg season, fyke nets were installed m the Rainy River in an 

 attempt to mtercept all sturgeon ascendmg to the spawning grounds 

 above. No ripe fish were taken in these nets, nor from those operated 

 later m the season m the open lake by commercial fishermen. Two 

 adults from the Bureau's nets and several from the pound nets were 

 placed m a pen in the river durmg May for observation. When 

 exammed late in June the specimens were found to contain eggs or 

 milt in various stages of development, but none of them was ripe, 

 and at the end of the year the investigations had revealed no definite 

 knowledge as to the spawnmg habits of the fish. 



Effects of volcanic eruption in Alaska. — By the eruption of Mount 

 Katmai on June 6 the islands of Kodiak and Afognak were covered 

 to a depth of 2 to 12 inches with sand and ashes, and large numbers of 

 salmon which were ascending streams in the vicinity were destroyed. 

 It was estimated that 8,000 dead fish were observed on the shore at 



