REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 73 



On January 16 Colchoolooloo, one of the oldest and most influential 

 Indians on the reservation, died in his hut. He was a consistent friend 

 of the white people, and in former years saved the superintendent 

 from being killed b}' the Indians. His influence was always exerted 

 toward keeping his people sober and industrious. He was buried on 

 the reservation upon a hill, where he had selected a site for his grave. 



From October 18 to December 18 the superintendent was absent 

 from the station, detailed to act as messenger in the transportation of 

 a shipment of sahnon eggs from San Francisco to New Zealand. 



On April 24 a quinnat salmon was noticed spawning in the river 

 opposite the hatchery. It had about finished spawning, onl}" 10 or 15 

 eggs being secured. It is not known whether this fish was a straggler 

 from the fall and winter run or an early comer in the spring run. 



Battle Creek Substation, California (Operated from Baird Station). 



In order to determine the extent of the spring and summer run of 

 salmon the racks had been put in place during the month of April. 

 A large run of fish came into the seining-pool during the late spring 

 and early summer, but owing to the extreme heat they died without 

 ripening. The experiment proved that there is a large summer run 

 of fish in the creek, but it also prov^es that it is impossible to secure 

 eggs from this run at the Battle Creek Station. A new stone-ballasted 

 crib pier was constructed at the mouth of the ditch and the water 

 turned in by the aid of a wing dam. All hatching-troughs and equip- 

 ment were cleaned and asphalted and the general repairs about the 

 station completed. 



The first fishing occurred October 22, when 13 ripe females were 

 caught, and the following day from 41 ripe fish 238,700 eggs were 

 taken. Fishing and spawning operations continued until December 1, 

 when portions of the racks were washed out and the balance of the 

 salmon on hand escaped. The total number of eggs collected amounted 

 to 10,059,000, of which 705,000 were lo^t during incubation, and 

 9,354,000 were shipped to the Sisson Station of the California Fish 

 Commission. The fry resulting from the eggs shipped to the Sisson 

 Station were all planted in the Sacramento River and tributaries. 



The ordinary method of stripping the fish and fertilizing the eggs 

 was pursued the same as at Baird, and after each stripping all the 

 female fish were cut open to secure the balance of the eggs In them. 

 The eggs were washed in a normal salt solution and then fertilized. 

 By this method 1,512,630 eggs were obtained, or 15 per cent of the 

 total take. The entire loss of eggs from all causes was 0.07 per cent. 

 The method of handling the eggs was diflerent from that followed at 

 the Baird and Mill Creek stations in that after the second dav they were 

 left undisturbed until they emerged from the tender period or when 

 the blastopore was fully closed, while at Baird and Mill Creek the 

 eggs were picked daily. The results from this experiment were not 



