REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XLI 



nets and drove the fish fi'om their spawning-grounds. The collecting 

 of eggs ceased on November 21. During the heavy gale from the south- 

 west on November 17, the new suction pipe, which had been placed 150 

 feet out in the lake, parted about 70 feet from the shore, and as the 

 heavy wind had forced the water down the lake both the old and new 

 suction pipes were exposed, thus preventing pumping and leaving the 

 hatchery without water supply, other than that held in the tanks, for 

 ten hours. On the 23d of November a similar storm had a like effect 

 on the water supply. The collecting fields and the number of eggs 

 taken at each were: 



Monroe and West Sister Island (delivered at Toledo) ... 5, 256, 000 



Port Clinton 12,528,000 



Catawba Island 2, 592, 000 



Kelley Island 3, 708, 000 



The Bass Islands 42, 732, 000 



Total 66,816,000 



Ol'tliese eggs there Avere delivered to the superintendent of the San- 

 dusky station of the Ohio Fish Commission (November 7-25), 8,000,000; 

 to the superintendent of the Erie station of the Pennsj^lvania Fish 

 Commission (November 7-25), 12,500,000, and forwarded to the U. S. 

 Fish Commission station at Duluth (February 26), 12,000,000; making 

 a total of 32,500,000. The remainder were hatched out at the station 

 and the fry placed in Lake Erie. The plantings were made from April 

 4-10, as follows : 



Near North Bass Island 1, 000, 000 



Near Rattlesnake Island 750, 000 



Near Middle Bass Island I, 000, 000 



Near Kelley Island 1,000,000* 



Near Put-in Bay Island 1, 000, 000 



Near Ballast Island 1, 250, 000 



Total 6,000,000 



The small percentage- of fry produced from the eggs retained at 

 the station is undoubtedly partly due to the temporary suspension of 

 the water supply to the hatchery during the first mouth of incubation, 

 and also in part to the rough weather during the spawning season, 

 which not only made the taking and proper impregnating of eggs 

 difficult, but also prevented the daily lifting of the pounds and gill 

 nets, so that much spawn was obtained from fish which had been netted 

 and held in the pounds two or three days. By the end of December 

 the eggs were all eyed. The hatching began toward the end of March 

 and was completed by the early part of April. The fry deposited were 

 in excellent condition. 



Pile perch. — The collection of the eggs of the pike perch was carried 

 on from April 11 to 22. The season opened with good prospects, but a 

 severe gale which set in on April 11 drove the fish from their spawning- 

 grounds, to which they returned only in small numbers. The total 



