120 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
the west coast, makes the following reference to the spawning habits 
of salmon: 
The conjunction of natural causes assisting salmon in all movements and in depos- 
iting eggs is as interesting as beautiful. In the operation of spawning, from my 
own observation, the salmon, on arriving at the place selected, remain quiet until 
recovered from the effects of the long journey from the sea, and for this purpose 
they select a pool where there is protection or concealment, under driftwood or over- 
hanging bank. In pairs, male and female, they build nests, generally in the swift 
water on the ripple above or below the pool, the male guarding it with great jeal- 
ousy, fighting away all intruders, The pool serves as a place of concealment during 
the day, the salmon spawning and making the nest at night or early in the morning, 
continuing during the day if the sky is overcast. The act of spawning may go on 
at intervals for a week before all the eggs are deposited. The construction of the 
nest is commenced by digging an elongated hole up and down stream, the fish using 
the snout and fins in making the excavation, throwing out sand and gravel in 
volumes. The stones and gravel are carried by the current below the excavation, 
forming a nest covering a space sometimes more than 6 feet in diameter, the small 
particles of sand and dirt being carried farther downstream. It seems strange that 
a collection of stone and pebbles should form a fish nest, yet nature has made it very 
simple, and secured results in a matter-of-fact way. The eggs are deposited in the 
hole by the female and impregnated by the male, the eggs clinging together in a 
mass and to the bottom, thirty to fifty minutes, at the end of which time they 
commence to separate. The gentle current sweeping through the trough-like hole 
carries each egg out of the excavation as it becomes detached from the mass and on 
to the nest of stones below, where it tumbles from one to another until it drops into 
one of the crevices, eventually finding its way to the bottom of the pile or nest, and 
there, lying securely hidden away, well protected from predatory fish, it finally 
hatches. It takes from forty to sixty days for the eggs to hatch, the time depending 
upon the temperature of water. After hatching the fish remain in the nest about 
twenty days, until the umbilical sac is exhausted, having during this time but one 
instinct, to hide and burrow deeper in the nest. 
Steelhead salmon.—At the first haul of the seine in October a steel- 
head was caught, and subsequently 16 more were obtained from the 
Indian dam in the vicinity. These were placed in a small pond and 
held for the purpose of obtaining their eggs, but none was secured. 
Rainbow trout.—In addition to the brood fish already on hand, 14 
large specimens were obtained in October from a pond at the Indian 
agency. The eggs from these in March and April were sufficient to 
produce 100,000 fry, 20,000 of which were liberated in local waters in 
May, the remainder being carried over into the next fiscal year. 
The mean temperature of the air in March was 43° F. and of the 
water 44°, in April 44.5° and 44.1°.. The snow-fall was so great that 
on April 22 the snow was over 5 feet deep, hard packed, on the road 
where it crosses the mountains. The fishes remaining on hand at end 
of the fiscal year, June 30, 1893, are stated below: 
: Brood 
Kind. 1893. 1892. fas. 
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