REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 53 



LOSSES DURING TRANSPORTATION. 



The mortality among rainbow trout in transit was notably larger 

 than with other species, and especially on journeys over thirty to thirty- 

 five hours in length. The number lost was 13,360. 



The results of work with food fishes of the Mississippi Valley were 

 reduced by the necessity of maintaining the aquarium at the World's 

 Fair. 



NEW WORK. 



The supply of black bass for distribution was much increased by 

 collecting them from the reservoir at Celina, Ohio. 



An experiment in carrying 1,000 yearling landlocked salmon from 

 Green Lake to Vermont proved so encouraging that a full carload of 

 12,000 was afterwards taken, and although 3,000 of these were lost, it 

 was demonstrated that the fish can be transported successfully. It 

 was previously considered impossible to do so. 



DIFFICULTIES IN TRANSPORTATION. 



In shipping shad eggs on the cars to the South, trouble arose from 

 the water foaming through sudden changes of temperature, causing 

 some of the fry to hatch prematurely. In other shipments, when the 

 water at destination was too warm, the fish hatched out weak, and 

 when too cold, hatching was almost entirely prevented. 



The details of the distribution of fishes and the scope of the distri- 

 bution service for the year are shown in the appended table, pages 

 62 to 76. 



COLLECTING FISH IN THE LOWLANDS OP ST. FRANCIS RIVER, ARKANSAS. 



At the suggestion of Superintendent W.F. Page, arrangements were 

 made in August, 1893, to collect food-fishes from overflow pools in 

 northeastern Arkansas, just the same species as are obtained yearly at 

 the Quincy, 111., station. The Commission was greatly assisted by Mr. 

 G. H. Nettleton, president of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Mem- 

 phis Railroad, along whose line the pools are located, and also by Mr. 

 H. W. Diggins, division superintendent of the road. 



Owing probably to the extremely high temperature of the water in 

 the pools (called " borrow pits"), the results of the experiment were 

 poor: but large collections might have been made if the work had been 

 begun earlier in the year. Mr. Page's report follows herewith: 



REPORT ON THE COLLECTION AND MOVEMENT OF NATIVE FISHES IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS. 



The annual inundation of the Sank Lauds of the St. Francis River basin creates 

 a great number of small ponds along the line of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and 

 Memphis Railroad by filling - the " borrow pits." The overflow usually occurs in 

 March, a little prior to the spring spawning of the fishes. The adult fish coming in 

 with the high water find in these borrow pits excellent conditions for spawning. 

 They go out with the falling waters, leaving behind their young in almost countless 

 numbers. The droughts of August and September dry these pits, killing all the 

 young fish in them. It was hoped that very many thousands of these young bass, 



