REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXIX 
Mr. Clark’s report, in addition to the points already referred to, con- 
tains some important observations by Professor Forbes, of Normal, II1., 
in regard to the food of the white-fish. 
The Quinnat, or California Salmon (Salmo quinnat). 
The McCloud River Station—The work of the Commission at this 
station continues, under the direction of Mr. Livingston Stone, to be 
entirely satisfactory. With an almost unlimited capacity for produe- 
tion, no more eggs are taken than are called for by the requisitions from 
State commissioners of fisheries ; including, of course, the two million 
or more annually hatched out at the station to be returned into the river 
to maintain the supply in the Sacramento. 
It is well understood that the remarkable continuance of the abun- 
dance of the Sacramento salmon is due entirely to the work of the Fish 
Commission in stocking the waters artificially, and thus making good 
the enormous drain caused by the canneries. 
Mr. Stone, in accordance with his custom, came east in the autumn 
of 1879; and as the season for active work approached returned to 
California, reaching the McCloud River on the 22d June. The water 
of the river was unusually cold for the season, showing a temperature 
of only 53°. 
Mr. Stone pays a tribute of acknowledgment to the industry and 
fidelity of the Indians living on the reservation; no class of men, per- 
haps, being better able to render the service required. 
A considerable amount of work was necessary to make perfectly safe 
roadways between the different parts of the station, the narrow mule- 
paths winding along the edge of steep precipices rendering locomotion 
extremely dangerous. 
All these difficulties were finally surmounted, anid on the 20th August 
the first ripe female salmon was taken. It was not, however, until the 
31st August that the eggs were taken in ¢ any Tae ; but front that 
date until the night of the 14th September, by which time 6,000,000 had 
been secured, the work was carried on uninterruptedly. After an inter- 
val of a few days the spawning was again resumed and 1,000,000 more 
eggs secured. 
The work of taking the eggs of the salmon was interrupted by the 
arrival of parties to put up the telephone, which proved to be of very 
great service in facilitating work. The Indians were specially inter- 
ested, and took great delight in talking to each other by means of it. 
Their poetical name for the apparatus was ‘“ Talking Spirit.” 
On the Ist October the work of packing and crating the eggs was 
begun, and in the course of three or four days 3,800,000 were packed, 
occupying 76 boxes and 388 crates. These were taken in wagons to 
Redding, Cal., and thence in a refrigerator car bound for the East. The 
car itself left ¢n the 4th October, and arrived in the usual time at Chi- 
cago, where it was turned over to Mr. Eliis, who had been sent out to 
