726 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



yolk-sacks, and seeiii quite vigorous, while the i>igment-cells iucrease 

 rapidly, giving them considerable color. When they had reached this 

 stage, they were usually taken to the outer harbor and liberated, to be- 

 come accustomed to their future surroundings before the yolk-sacks 

 were absorbed, thus giving them the opportunity of seeking their natu- 

 ral food when the first instincts of hunger should lead them to desire it. 

 The young cod seem more hardy than those of most other species, and 

 may be kept for a considerable length of time with small loss. In one 

 case fully 50 were put in an 8-ounce bottle and kept in a room at a tem- 

 perature of 50^ F., without change of water, for four days, before the 

 first ones died. Earlj'' in January a number were sent by express to 

 Professor Baird in Washington, where they arrived in good condition, 

 with no care on the way except that given by the baggage-master on 

 the train. 



5.--DIFFICULTIES ENCOUl^TERED. 



The difficulty of suitable api^aratus for hatching the eggs has been 

 fully described. This consisted not only in the invention of something 

 suitable for floating eggs, but an apparatus that could be used in im- 

 pure water. These requirements, after several unsuccessful attempts, 

 were at last met, and the difficulty partially overcome by the introduc- 

 tion of the Chester bucket. 



The greatest source of annoyance, and one that could not be w^holly 

 overcome, was the abundance of the harbor sediment or dirt in the 

 water. The trouble from this source was due largely to location. The 

 hatchery was situated at a point of the harbor, with the main channel 

 on one side, and on the other a large cove, into which the refuse of much 

 of the business portion of the city found its way through the street gut- 

 ters and sewers. The location of the hatchery was then unfortunate, in 

 that it occupied a position where the main current caused by the 11-foot 

 tide, on its passage in and out from the cove, brought a greater part of 

 the dirt and filth of the city directly beneath and beside the wharf, 

 where much of it was pumped up through the pipes into the hatching- 

 room, and found its way to the eggs. 



In addition to this, the violent storms caused a heavy undertow to roll 

 in from seaward, and to stir up the mud from the bottom and sides of 

 the harbor, so that at low tide the water was often quite thick. This sed- 

 iment of course passed up through the pipes, and often resulted in great 

 injury to the eggs. It was not uufrequently the case that a lot of eggs 

 would continue in good condition until the fish were nearly ready to 

 hatch, when a heavy storm would roil the water, and cause the dirt to 

 collect on tUtem to such an extent as to give them a dull brownish color, 

 and from its weight sink them to the bottom, where they soon died. 



Every precautioii was taken to thoroughly cleanse the water from these 

 impurities before it came in contact with the eggs. Large flannel fil- 

 ters were introduced, and all the water made to run through several of" 



