TRANSMISSION OF SALMON EGGS TO AUSTRALIA, ETC. 889 



rise or fall, is the spring run mainly governed. Sudden rise or fall alike 

 will check them. Thus it often happens that for many weeks the fish 

 will be taken in numbers at Benicia and Collinsville, in smaller numbers 

 at Eio Vista, and none at all farther up. Again, there have been sea- 

 sons when a steady nin commenced in the early part of January, and 

 by an almost uniform rate of increase reached its culmination in May. 

 But this is exceptional. The spring run may be stated as commencing 

 in November and ending in July, and having its greatest strength in 

 May. Under the most favorable conditions the months of November 

 and December might be classed ' very scarce ; ' January and February, 

 'scarce;' March, 'not scarce;' April 'plenty;' May, 'very plenty;' 

 June, 'not scarce;' July, 'scarce.' Under unfavorable conditions, 

 November, December, January, and February would have almost none 

 at all ; March, ' scarce ; ' April, ' not scarce ; ' May, ' plenty ; ' June, 

 'scarce;' July, 'almost none at all.' In defining the terms here 

 adopted, let them be applied to the product of the labor of 

 two men with their boat and net per day : 'Almost none at all, 

 would mean two fish per week; ' very scarce,' two fish per day; ' scarce,' 

 six fish per day ; ' not scarce,' eighteen per day ; ' plenty,' thirty-six per 

 day ; ' very plenty,' seventy-two per day.' There are times in the height 

 of the run when a greater number than is here named might be caught 

 with ease ; but these are exceptional. In the great run three years ago, 

 three hundred salmon per day might be caught with ease; but in no 

 other year, since the Anglo-American occui)ation. has there been such, 

 a run. It must not be understood that salmon can be caught at all times 

 by fishing for them, even in the most limited numbers above stated- 

 There are times when one could not be caught in a month, if life were 

 at stake u]3on it. I only intend to give a fair idea of the average 

 business. You will readily deduce from it that there are not more than 

 two months, during the spring run, when fish can be caught in excess 

 of the demand for home consumption. After the subsidence of the 

 spring run, in July, they are often found in great numbers near the con- 

 fluence of the Feather Kiver with the Sacramento. They have a taste 

 for variety, it would seem, and the marked difference between the cool, 

 muddy water of the former, and the warmer, limpid, and clear stream 

 of the latter, affords them great satisfaction. During the first half of 

 August, the mature seed fish start for the spawning grounds. All 

 along the line, from the ocean to the most advanced posts along the 

 river, the word (if fishes have words — if not, then wag) is onward and 

 upward. They are on business, and on time ; they do not shy much, 

 nor stoj) for trifles ; they rush at a drifting gill-net determined to do or 

 die, and, of course, generally die if the net is sound. The run of August 

 and September, I have before described. As for the few belated fellows 

 that are about in October, they might as well be caught as not — and so, 

 my year is out." 



7. At the time our last report was made, IMr. Charles Crocker had 



