[17] SALMON-HATCHING STATION ON M'CLOUD RIVER, CAL. 613 
with a flow of the creek water through it, and shortly afterwards they 
got covered with small black specks, as if dotted all over with ink. 
The spots or specks protruded a little, and the fish in handling felt 
like a rasp, and soon died, in a lean, lank condition; some were put 
back again in the “spotted” state to the spring water of 50°, and 
after awhile recovered. This occurred with our own salmon, parrs and 
smolts also, but not to such an extent as with the Californians. I 
am therefore almost constrained to say that the Californians must be 
natives of colder waters than our own salmon. I notice that the “sun 
heat” at your works is at times almost beyond endurance, running up 
to 100° or 125°, far beyond what it is with us. That, however, has 
nothing to do with my present statement, viz, that your recorded 
temperature of water where you gather your eggs is infinitely colder 
than any of our river waters at that period of the year. I therefore 
fear very much that the Pacific salmon don’t thrive in our Ontario 
waters (though there may be exceptions, like my “five-pounder”), 
and I should judge that the waters in most of your States is not unlike 
ours; and I almost go further in giving it as my belief that even the 
Atlantic andethe Wilmot salmon must give way to the increased tem- 
perature of our Ontario streams and their consequent impurities, which 
is growing upon us annually from the clearing off the forests, which re- 
duces the volume of water in the creeks and rivers and gives them 
greater exposure to the influences of the sun’s rays. 
May I ask you this question: Do the salmon of their own accord 
spawn in the river as low down as where your works are situated on the 
McCloud River? or, if they do, is it not because they are prevented 
from going farther up stream on account of your weir across it? 
You must excuse this literally long scrawl, for it is written in the most 
hurried and impromptu manner just on the eve of my going away fora 
few days from home. When I sat down to write you about the blank 
returns sent me I did not dream of entering into the subject of this 
California question, but when started I could not well knock off, and so 
have extended it perhaps beyond decorum. The subject is a very large 
one, and I should, as before stated, like much to have a few hours’ talk 
with you, who are so well acquainted with this Pacifie fish. 
Believe me to be yours, respectfully, 
SAMWL WILMOT. 
