852 REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



had the red baud strongly marked, others had not a trace of it. Con- 

 sequently one cannot tell by the looks of the trout whether it is ripe or 

 not. To ascertain this every fish must be tried and examined sepa- 

 rately by hand. 



On the whole, the spawning season was quite successful, and over 

 337,000 trout eggs were taken and distributed from this station in the 

 present year. 



The eggs, after being packed, are carried on horses to the salmon- 

 breeding station, 4 miles down the McCloud Eiver, and from there are 

 taken to Redding, California, 22 miles farther, by stage. From Redding 

 they are shipped by rail for 3,000 miles or more, as the case may be, to 

 their eastern destination. It is wonderful that any of tliem arrive at 

 the end of their long journey in good order, but some lots opened at 

 their journey's end in excellent condition, as may be seen by the follow- 

 ing letters : 



[I.— From Frank N. Claek, Northville, Micli., February 8, 1882.] 



The eggs of California trout which you shipped from Redding on the 

 25th of January came to hand on the 2d instant, and were in very fine 

 condition. The ice was not all gone, a chunk remaining that would 

 weigh, I should judge, 10 or 15 pounds. After unpacking we picked 

 out 615 dead eggs, and since then 685, or about 1,300 all told. 



[II.— From Frank N. Clark, Northville, Mich., March 3, 1882.] 



The second lot of California trout eggs came to hand on the 14th of 

 February, and were in excellent shape. 



On unpacking we incked out only 272 dead eggs, and since then 384 

 more, or 656 altogether, which represents almost the entire loss, as they 

 are now hatching very freely. 



This was an unexceptionally fine lot of eggs, and they were packed in 

 a superior manner, and apj)ear to have been handled with due care while 

 in transit. 



[III.— From E. M. Stiliavell, Bangor, Me., April 2.5, 1882.] 



The trout eggs (10,000) arrived here Sunday morning, April 23, and 

 were sent up to our hatching-house at Enfield yesterday morning, 

 unpacked, and placed in the hatching-troughs. They were in excellent 

 condition, there being but 80 bad eggs in the whole lot. 



[IV. — From William Griffith, lish commissioner of Keutiiclcy, Louisville, Ky., 



April 2:1, 1882.] 



In reply to your favor of 13th instant, allow me to say tbat 5,000 

 JMcCloud River trout eggs were received April 13, at 10 a. m. ; unpacked 

 at 12 m. One pound of ice on eggs. Eggs in good condition. Number 

 of bad eggs when unpacked, 310. 



