864 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



the females before spawniug 3.2 pounds in weight and 19.3 inches in 

 length. Those females that were ripe when they first came to hand 

 outweighed by an average of one-fifth pound those that were ripe at 

 the first trial, and exceeded them in length by an average of about 

 three-tenths inch. Such differences have been observed before. As 

 compared with the measurements for 1880, both sexes were eight-tenths 

 inch longer tliis year, and excelled also in weight. As compared with 

 187G (the year of smallest averages in our experience), we find this year 

 an increase of 94 per cent, in weight and 28 per cent, in length among 

 the males, while the females have increased 68 per cent, in weight and 

 22 per cent, in length. 



The number of females yielding any eggs that were, on extrusion, 

 white or otherwise evidently detective was smaller than ever before. 

 No record was made of the frequency of the occurrence of this phe- 

 nomenon until 1881, when 17 per cent, of the female fish were thus de- 

 fective. This season there were but 7 per cent. The number of eggs 

 affected was in most cases very small, sometimes but two or three from 

 a single fish ; but in rare cases the greater part or the entire litter was 

 affected. No outward symptoms have yet been observed which mark 

 the diseased fish. The phenomenon was quite as common in 1868 as in 

 any recent year. 



The exemption of the eggs from visible defects was not, however, 

 attended by a better rate of fecundation than ordinary. The record 

 of losses during the developing period enables me to fix the rate of 

 impregnation at 90.9 per cent., the losses from all causes i)rior to ship- 

 ment being 11.8 per cent. In 1881-'82 the percentage impregnated was 

 92.9 and the losses before shipment 9.2 per cent. — about the ordinary 

 rates. 



Of the 1,004 females taken, 945 yielded spawn, of which the total 

 amount weighed 727 pounds 6 ounces, and numbered 1,681,000 eggs. 

 The yield per female fish thus averaged 1,779 eggs, which is the highest 

 average yet recorded at the station. 



Details of the spawning operations will be given in Table I, and of the 

 measurements of the fish in Table II. 



3. SHIPMENT OP SPAWN 



The first shipments were made January 16 and the last March 28. 



As usual, the unimpregnated eggs were separated from the others by 

 hand-picking after concussion, and 134,802 were thus removed. This 

 number, added to 63,868 that had previously turned white and been 

 picked out, made a total loss of 198,670, which reduced the stock to 

 1,482,330 eggs. There were reserved for i)lanting in Grand Lake 

 374,330, and the remaining 1,108,000 were divided among the sub- 

 scribers to the fund and shipped to the order of the several commissions 

 interested. . 



