TRANSMISSION OF EGGS OF QUINNAT SALMON. 917 



and, not to lose a moment, to start immediately. We had them landed 

 and brought to the railway station at Geestemunde. 



While waiting there for the custom-house officers and the starting of 

 the train, we perceived that a milky stuff of a nasty smell was running 

 out of the crates. We took the precaution to buy a hundred weight of 

 ice to keep them cool, but it proved useless. 



On arriving at Bremen, we agreed, by general consult, and as there was 

 some time left before any of us could start for our different destinations, 

 to open one of the crates and the interior boxes. We did so at the sta- 

 tion, and found the first crate for the J^^etherlands all spoiled, except in 

 a corner where there were a few eggs in aj)parently good condition. 

 All the interior, however, was heated up to about 70° or 80° Fah. 

 There were a few edosions with some of the fish still alive. The whole, 

 however, gave the impression that the enterprise had failed, the fault 

 being the packing, which, perhajis quite sufficient for a short journey 

 of a few days, was not adequate to a transport of three or four weeks. 



As the only direct train to go to Amsterdam started at one o'clock at 

 night, I resolved to let my four crates quiet and proceed with them im- 

 mediately in order not to lose 24 hours, as I could reach Amsterdam 

 next morning. Mr. Schiever did the same and left the same night to 

 liis destination close to Hanover. Dr. Haack, who had to go further, 

 resolved to remain in Bremen for the night and we proceeded together 

 to a hotel, where he opened his crates. The contents proved to be in 

 much the same condition as those of the crate opened at the railway 

 station, the heat of the boxes' interior being 80° Fah. The best eggs 

 were taken out of the box and put seiiarate, and it took about four hours 

 to do one crate. 



It seems that Mr. Fred Mather had received orders to leave the sal- 

 mon eggs quiet and not open them at all, as the gentleman who sent 

 them off from California expected they would arrive safe in Europe. It 

 is to be regretted that this was the case. Mr. Mather had opened one 

 case in New York, and took the trouble to bring over the contents in a 

 case of his own construction. The result was truly magnificent — out of 

 25,000 eggs, shipped in New York, only about 400 were lost. Through 

 the arrangement with slides, the eggs lay in single layers and could be 

 taken out very easily and cleaned, there being some space left at the top 

 and the bottom. Ice could be brought close to the eggs Avithout touch- 

 ing them, and the mean temperature was kept without much trouble at 

 from 41° to 45° Fah. As I have said, the success was wonderful and the 

 arrangement was perfect, without incurring much extra cost. As these 

 eggs belonged to the lot for Hiinningen, Director Haack had the means 

 of putting the eggs saved from the crates in a few trays, which were 

 empty in the above named box. What will be the result of these I can- 

 not say here, but I have no doubt Director Haack will report on them 

 later 



