[19] OPERATIONS AT THE NORTHVILLE HATCHERY. 1055 



all dead on arrival, and Mr, Williams that nearly all were dead when 

 received, the remainder being deposited in a lake near La Porte. 



After successfully shipping 3,000 by express to Battle Creek, using 

 in transit three to four hours, I was not a little surprised at the non- 

 success of the other shipments ; all the more so from the fact that those 

 to Battle Creek were sent in one 10-gallon can without the loss of a sin- 

 gle fish, whereas with each of the other lots two 10-gallon cans were 

 used, which would more than offset the difference in time occupied in 

 transit to their respective destinations. In all three consignments the 

 water was reduced to icy coldness before starting. 



The results attending these shipments, which were, to a certain ex- 

 tent, in the nature of au experiment, justify the conclusion that with 

 the transportation of live fish success in one instance fails to establish 

 a basis for calculations in other instances, where even the conditions and 

 circumstances are, to all intents and purposes, alike; and that the 

 chances of failure are reduced to the minimum only when the fish are 

 under the constant ^rveillance of an experienced messenger. 



DISTRIBUTION OF EGGS OF LAKE TROUT. {Cristivomer namaycush.) 



When Mr. Wires started for Alpena in the latter part of October to 

 look after the collection of whitefish eggs at that point, instructions were 

 given him to obtain, if j)ossible, a few eggs of lake trout if he arrived 

 too early for the whitefish work. As the few whitefish theu being capt- 

 ured in the inshore fisheries showed little indications of spawning, Mr. 

 Wires, on the last day of October, put out about forty miles to the gill- 

 net fisheries, where he found the lake trout nearly all spent, but suc- 

 ceeded in getting 57,000 eggs. These were shipped by boat to Bay 

 City, whence they were met by special messenger and delivered to the 

 Northville hatchery, ]N"ovember 2. 



The loss of eggs while in the hatchery was 3,600 ; December 10, 20,000 

 were consigned to Mr. F. Mather for reshipmeut to Herr von Behr, Ger- 

 many; and on January 3,30,000 were forwarded to Commissioner Shaw 

 of Iowa, who reported that they arrived in prime condition January 6 

 and commenced hatching the day following, the total loss on eggs and 

 fish being less than 5 per cent. The eggs were now well along in advance- 

 ment; in fact a few hatched the same day that the Iowa shipment was 

 made; nevertheless a package of 2,000 was shipped to JiTewark January 

 7 to be transmitted by Mr, Mather to France, if their condition when 

 received by him would warrant it; but despite their being reduced to a 

 temperature of 31° before leaving the hatchery, a few hatched on their 

 way to Newark, and j\Ir. Mather, therefore, hatched the remainder, the 

 fry being subsequently released in Culvers Lake, Sussex County, New 

 Jersey. 



The stock of embryos and alevins wasnow reduced to 1,400; and these, 

 after the hatching and sac-consuming process was completed, were 



