XXVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The details of the work will be found in the appended report of Mr. 

 William F. Hubbard, the assistant superintendent. 



At the close of the season it was found that the bills, in regard to 

 which proper vouchers could be rendered, and applicable to the actual 

 work, and not simply to the construction of j)ermanent improvements, 

 amounted to about $3,G00, which was duly paid to Mr. J. G. Megier, the 

 secretary of the Oregon and Washington Fish Propagation Company, to 

 which the works belonged. 



Proposed salmon-hatching station for the Southern States. — It is well 

 known to all fish culturists that the expense of moving imi)reguated 

 eggs of fish is very much less than that of transporting the same number 

 of the young fish, as the former, with i)roper precautions, can be for- 

 warded by exi)ress to any part of the United States, while the latter 

 require the constant care and attendance of a messenger, and a much 

 larger space, in proportion, for their accommodation. 



The demand for the California salmon on the part of the southern 

 and middle tier of Mississippi Valley States has suggested the pro- 

 priety of a station where the eggs can be received and hatched, and 

 from which the fry can be distributed at much less expense than from 

 Baltimore, Maryland; ]Srorth\alle, Michigan, and other stations, where 

 the hatching in question has been carried on. 



An extensive correspondence was entered into with parties in Ten- 

 nessee, ISTorthern Alabama, Mississippi, &g., and several points were vis- 

 ited by Mr. Clark to ascertain their adaptation for the purpose. The 

 especial requisites are, an ample supply of pure spring water of a tem- 

 perature as much under 60'^ as possible 5 a proper fall of water; and con- 

 venient relation to a railroad center from which the fish can be distrib- 

 uted to assigned dei)ositaries. Of course the place must be healthy, 

 and one where the desired facilities will be freely granted by the owners 

 of the ground. 



Several localities were found possessing more or less of the necessary 

 requisites. Among these were Huntsville, Ala. ; Vicksburg, Miss. ; Bon 

 Aqua Springs, Tenn.; Birmingham, Ala., &c. The highest tempera- 

 ture found, of 63p, was at Vicksburg; the lowest, about 59°. The 

 outbreak of the yellow fever in Tennessee during the summer of 1878 

 prevented any action on the subject. This, however, is only deferred for 

 the present, and it is hoped that another season, when a selection will be 

 arrived at, it will be possible to arrange a temporary establishment 

 where the eggs of California salmon and possibly of California trout 

 may be successfully hatched. It will not be necessary to keep the works 

 in operation for more than a month for either of these occasions ; so that 

 the expense will be comj)aratively trifling. 



Atlantic salmon (Salmo solar.) 



In view of the uncertainty as to the results of earlier efforts connected 

 with securing the eggs of the Atlantic salmon, operations were sus- 



