756 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Before opening the inner boxes containing the eggs, I pushed a ther- 

 mometer into the fine moss round and about the eggs, to ascertain its 

 temperature, so that no sudden change would be made in unpacking 

 the ova. The moss gave a record of 54° ; the air inside and outside the 

 buikling (it was a dark, cloudy day) gave a record of 54° also. I then tried 

 the water in the stream and in the hatching-troughs, and found it, after 

 several trials, to show 53° to 53i°. This being so very favorable, I set 

 to work with the most satisfactory anticipations for success. 



To make matters as equal as possible, I also sprinkled water on the 

 inner boxes containing the eggs before unscrewing the slats, and al- 

 lowed the water to percolate through the moss and amongst the eggs. 

 The ova was then taken out by gently lifting each layer with the muslin 

 cloth under them, and immersing the eggs slowly in the hatching- 

 troughs ; these were 12 feet long, 13 inches wide, 5 inches deep, with a 

 full flow of water running constantly through them; in opening out the 

 eggs, my assistant, who has been with me several years, drew my at- 

 tention to the eggs, or the embryo inside, beginning to tu^rn a whitish 

 color ; this I noticed clearly. In opening and removing the moss, they 

 presented a healthy appearance, with the usual dark, red color, but al- 

 most immediately began to show a faint oi)aque white streak along the 

 back of the embryo ; some showed it more than others. We got through 

 with the operation of unpacking on the evening of Saturday. Some of 

 the eggs were placed loosely on the bottom of the troughs, with a couple 

 of inches of water running over them; others were placed on hatching- 

 trays. A very few, indeed, in removing gave evidence of life or motion 

 inside. I picked out a few dozen that showed life and put them by 

 themselves ; these turned out in the course of a few hours just the same 

 as the others, with the opaque white line. As I had a similar loss the 

 previous season, I concluded there was no hope for their safety. I ex- 

 amined the troughs and trays after night, and found the lines of mor- 

 tality more x)lainly visible, and on Sunday morning I concluded the re- 

 sult to be almost a total loss. To-day, whilst writing, I can notice a few 

 eggs here and there yet looking as if they were all right, but I fear the 

 white fever, not the yeJlorc, has struck them, with no hope of recovery. 

 Every day since Saturday I have picked out a dozen or so that I hoped 

 were healthy, as they gave some signs of life, and i^nt them carefully 

 by themselves, but with the same result — a few hours afterwards, death — 

 and to-day I fear we shall have none left. 



jSTow, the question arises, what has caused this mortality ? Has it 

 occurred with other lots sent elsewhere ! Or am I alone the unfortunate 

 one 1 I hojie the latter may be the case, as it would be sad, indeed, if a 

 similar fate has befallen all the rest. I am very anxious to learn the fate 

 of the other shipments, and will be i^leased to hear from you concerning 

 them. Whether the cause of death took place before reaching Chicago, 

 in the refrigerator-car, or since their redistribution there, I caunot say. 

 The facts are, however, just as I have related, and I feel very sad at the 



