XXX REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
that point to take charge of the eggs and distribute them to their des- 
tination. 
As usual, applications for the eggs had been received from many of 
the State fish commissioners and from private individuals in the United 
States. These were supplied as far -as possible, and 810,000 were 
hatched at the stations of the United States Fish Commission. The 
principal foreign distributions consisted of 50,000 to Canada, 100,000 
to France, 380,000 to Germany, and 200,000 to Holland. 
Full details of the work done at the McCloud River station, with 
tables of the temperature of the water, the number of fish of different 
sexes taken from time to time, etc., will be found in the appended report 
of Mr. Stone. 
The Rainbow, or California Mountain Trout (Salmo irideus). 
The Crooks Creek Station.—As stated in previous reports, Mr. Stone’s 
proposition to add the culture of California trout, Salmo irideus, to that 
of California salmon, on the McCloud River, was accepted, for which 
work suitable establishments and appliances were constructed about 5 
miles above the salmon station. 
No eggs were taken in 1879 at this new station, but between January 
12 and May 26 of 1880 about 385,000 eggs were secured and properly 
treated for transportation. Of this number 261,000 were sent, for the 
most part, to the Eastern States and about 70,000 were hatched out and 
planted in the McCloud River for the purpose of keeping up the supply. 
As soon as these operations were completed, sundry improvements to 
the establishment were made in the way of constructing stables, sheds, 
ete. The most important addition to the station was the connection 
made by telephone between it and the trout ponds, thus affording a 
ready means of communication between the two. 
Later in the summer many trout were caught and put in the ponds 
The latest advices for the yearfrom Mr. Stone announce that the ac- 
commodations at the station are very commodious, the hatching house 
having a capacity of several millions of eggs, and that the breeding 
ponds are large and convenient and now contain more than 2,000 breed- 
ing trout. These, it is hoped, will furnish a large supply of eggs in the 
future. The maintenance of these fish in the ponds throughout the 
year requires a considerable outlay of money for food, superintendence, 
ete. 
In summer the food of these trout consists of boiled refuse salmon, 
and in the winter of venison, and occasionally a steer. The trout now 
in the ponds will eat a whole deer at two feeds. 
Mr. Stone reports that the males have milt in them at two years of 
age, and that the females spawn during their third year. These periods 
are about one year in advance of the same operations in the case of the 
Salmo fontinalis. 
Herewith appended is Mr. Stone’s report, which will be found to con- 
tain some interesting details. 
