PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. 209 
fastening eagle feathers to a thin strip 8 inches long by 14 inches wide works much 
more satisfactorily for this purpose than a wing. An ordinary hand scaff net about 
12 by 14 inches in size for removing dead eggs from the tank, a dipper, and a bucket 
complete the outfit. Wood and metal surfaces in all equipment should be well 
coated with asphaltum or some similar preparation. 
At Yes Bay as soon as five or ten million eggs are far enough advanced to stand light 
concussion the baskets are lifted out of the troughs and the eggs are stirred thoroughly 
with the hand, which causes practically all of the unfertile or empty eggs to turn white. 
As soon as the line of the fish shows plainly when held up to the light and there is a 
distinct curvature to the tail, the eggs are sufficiently well advanced in ipable pal pease, 
tostand stirring. After this process the baskets are returned to the troughs and allowed 
to remain three days, for when first turned the unfertile eggs are about as heavy as the 
good eggs and consequently would sink if the salt solution were applied at once. 
On the fourth day after stirring, everything being in readiness, five or six baskets are 
removed froma trough and set on top todrain. Afterafew momentsa basket is grasped 
at each end and is lowered into the tank containing the solution until the liquid comes 
through the eggs. A light shake is then given to level up the eggsin the basket. Next, 
slowly and very gently, the basket is lowered until the brine comes almost to its rim 
and is held perfectly still fora moment. All the eggs in the basket will rise, but soon 
the good eggs will begin to sink, and presently, ifit is a basket of poor eggs, the surface 
will be completely covered with bad eggs. Now, without the slightest jar, the basket is 
lowered far enough below the surface to permit an egg to float over the rim. The had 
eggs will immediately start toward the edges of the tank. After a few seconds the 
basket is gently lowered until it rests upon the bottom. The remaining dead eggs are 
then brushed away from over the basket by means of quick, short, and light strokes of 
the feather fan, long, sweeping strokes are to be carefully avoided. One end of the 
basket is then gently raised until it is above the surface of the brine and the basket 
is drawn toward the end of the tank and out from under the floating dead eggs. At 
the same time the fan is used with the other hand to aid in moving any of these floating 
eggs to one side. The fan is then dropped and the lower end of the basket is grasped 
and the whole is quickly raised out of the solution. The basket is set at an angle on 
the tank for a moment to drain and is then carried to the hatching trough. The 
attendant lifts out another basket to drain along with the four or five others originally 
ak and returns to the tank of brine with the basket that has been draining the 
ongest. . 
While this is being done the other operator skims the dead eggs off the surface of the 
brine and places the frame described above in the tank for a moment to stop all motion 
of the solution. After five or six baskets have been treated, any eggs that have settled 
to the bottom of the tank are removed, as they absorb and weaken the brine. It is 
necessary, as earlier mentioned, to add a little fresh brine after handling each basket. 
The eggs should be as clean as possible, as the solution will not be effective when it 
contains much sediment. A 1-1nch hole with plug in one corner of the tank is con- 
venient for drawing off any deposit of this character. Should failure occur in treating 
a basket of eggs, as, for example, if by sudden jar they are all caused to sink, or if the 
brin e is too weak or too strong, the basket must be put back in the hatching trough, 
as it will not respond to treatment again the same day. 
At Yes Bay last winter a large portion of the 72,000,000 eggs were thoroughly cleaned 
up atone handling. Two men ran as many as 10,000,000 eggs through the salt bath in 
asingle day. Itis customary on the day after treating the eggs to have them gone over 
so that if any dead eggs remain they may be picked out by hand. This, however, 
requires very little time, as but few dead eggs are found. No alarm need be felt if the 
eggs seem to shrink as a result of the immersion, for they will soon resume their normal 
81ze upon being replaced in fresh water. 
The use of the salt solution has been extended lately to the handling of lake trout 
eggs in Michigan and Minnesota, and there appears to be no reason why it is not equally 
well adapted to the eggs of other salmonoids. Certainly its many advantages com- 
mend further experimentation in this direction. 
The eggs of the salmon hatch very graduaJly at first, only a small 
proportion coming out the first day, but the number increases daily 
until the climax is reached, when large numbers of young burst 
their shells in a single day. As at this time the vast number of dis- 
carded shells are apt to clog up the guard screens at the outlets of 
the troughs, great care and vigilance is necessary to prevent this by 
thoroughly cleansing them frequently. 
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