REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXV 



of fisberies for Pennsylvania, undertaking; to do everything possible for 

 their proper care. It had been the intention to transfer them from the 

 hatching-house to the river as soon as the yolk-bag had become absorbed 

 and the young fish were able to shift for themselves ; but in consequence 

 of the very cold weather which occurred during the winter, Dr. Slack 

 was requested by Mr. Worrall to keep them until later in the season- 

 They were therefore retained in the hatchi ng-house and amply fed, from 

 time to time, until the 3d of March, when they were taken to Harris- 

 burgh and placed in the Susquehanna, being between five and six 

 thousand in number. Only about one hundred perished on the journey, 

 the rest being vigorous and in good condition. It is much to be hoped 

 that some important result may follow this enterprise, especially if it 

 be at all possible to add largely to the number in the course of the next 

 few years. At the time of their introduction they were from 2 to 2^ 

 inches long, showing the banded side very distinctly. They were much 

 larger than the young of the SaJmo saJar at the same age, in this 

 respect agreeing with the egg^ which, in the Sacramento species, is fully 

 twice the capacity of that of its congener. 



The surprise of Mr, Stone at finding the extraordinarily high tem- 

 perature in the Sacramento Yalley, just referred to, was all the greater 

 from the fact that he had been warned against being blockaded with 

 snow during the same period. It is, therefore, i)r<)bable that, as the 

 season of 1872 was exceptionally warn), this obstacle to success will not 

 continue on a subsequent occasion. 



From Mr. Stone's experiences in 1872 he concluded that it will be nec- 

 essary to commence operations as early as the 20th of July, and to have 

 th ^ breeding salmon caught and confined as earlj' as the 20th of August. 

 The hatching- water he proposes to take from the McCloud Eiver, which 

 is of so even a temperature that, notwithstanding the great heat, it does 

 not rise above 51°. He would have used this water for hatching-purposes 

 in 1871 but for fear of its rising by sudden freshebs so as to destroy the 

 establishment. He found, however, that the water altered only about two 

 inches during his stay, and should operations be continued another season 

 he pro[)oses to employ it for the purpose, continuing operations at the 

 same station. No better place is, indeed, to be had in California than the 

 McCloud, as it is a very clear, cold, swift-running stream, full of sal- 

 mon, and probably embraces the principal spawning-ground of that 

 fish. 



The spawning-beds lower down the river have been almost entirely 

 destroyed by the washings of gravel and sand from the gold-diggings, 

 which have exercised an unfavorable influence upon the supply. 



According to Mr. Stone there are no white settlements on the river; 

 but the Indians are numerous. The nearest higlnvay is the Oregon 

 stage-road, four miles from the river. Mr. Stone's party endeavored to 

 enlist the Indians in their service, but were unable to communicate intel- 

 ligi bly with them, and were obliged to rely upon their own resources. As 

 it was, their oi)erations were somewhat delayed by the non-arrival of a 



