758 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



referring to the loss, written on 9tli October to Professor Baird, in 

 which the particulars are minutely given. (See copy attached hereto.) 

 You will observe in it that I did not receive any notice from the express 

 comi)any at Chicago when the eggs were sent on from there. My first 

 knowledge of the ova after your letter and postal card was from the 

 express agent here sending word to me that five crates of salmon had 

 arrived. This notice was on Saturday morning, the 5th October. 1 will 

 now take up your questions. 



Question. At what hour did the eggs arrive at j^ewcastle? 



Answer. The express train from the West arrives at 9.25 a. m.; and 

 very shortlj^ after this time I was notified of the arrival of the eggs. 



Question 2. What express company delivered them ? 



Answer. The Canadian and American Express Company. 



Question 3. Was there ice on top of the crates and in the ice-chambers? 



Answer. 1 am not aware of any ice being ow top of the crates and 

 think there was not, but there was ice in the ice-chambers of the crates. 



Question 4. Was the express-car warm in which they were brought to 

 Newcastle ? 



Answer. This I cannot answer, nor can the agent here tell me, as the 

 cars only stop a moment or so at the station, and no observation was 

 taken at the time. 



Question 5. How long after arrival at Newcastle were they unpacked? 



Answer. The unpacking- commenced between 10 and 11 o'clock a. m., 

 and the work was completed about 4 p. m. 



Question 6. Were they likely to grow cooler or warmer in the place 

 where they were kept at Newcastle before unpacking ? 



Answer. There could be only a very little change, as the day was a 

 very dark, lowery one and pretty cool, the thermometer inside and out- 

 side the building ranging at 54°; there were no fires on the premises, 

 neither was there sunshine. 



Question 7. Did the eggs appear to be dead on being opened, or was 

 it after they were placed in the water that they showed that they were 

 spoiled? 



Answer. At the first glance, when moss and muslin were removed, 

 the eggs looked bright and red, but upon close examination life and 

 motion were only noticed in a few, and my assistant (who has been en- 

 gaged in the general work in connection with fish hatching, &c., in the 

 establishment for several years) drew my attention to this, stating at 

 the same time that he was fearful that they were going to turn out as 

 those did last year, as he could see a faint wldtish line along the em- 

 bryos in the eggs. I noticed this also. This gave us cause to take 

 extra care in unpacking. A thermometer was put amongst the moss 

 between the layers, which gave a temperatui-e of 54"^. The water in the 

 troughs stood at 53° to 53p, and the air outside and inside the building 

 was 54°. These were very favorable circumstances, and each of us began 

 to remove the eggs, first sprinkling water over the moss in the boxes, 



