4 Public Document. 



retain some for breeding purposes and some for stocking different 

 streams. 



SALMON. 



Of the 10,000 salmon spawn purchased last year, about 50 ])er 

 cent, were found not to be impregnated. On informing Mr. 

 Samuel Wilmot, who furnished the spawn, of this tact, he at once 

 forwarded another 5,000 of perfect spawn, free of cost. Of the 

 total number, nearly all hatched, the loss being less than 1 per 

 cent. It was observed after the young fish Were hatched and the 

 umbilical sack absorbed, that they would not take artificial food as 

 readily as the trout. Fearing that a majority woidd be lost, the 

 Commissioners decided to place the greater number of the young 

 fish in the Pawtuxet river, and retain only a small portion of them 

 in ponds constructed for the purpose. 



The Commissioners attended a number of meetings of the Fish 

 Commissioners of the New England States, and also a meeting 

 called by Hon. Spencer F. Baird, United States Commissioner of 

 Fish and Fisheries. At one of these meetings Mr. Charles G. 

 Atkins, former Commissioner of Maine, suggested that the differ- 

 ent New England States should combine together and through him 

 procure salmon spawn. This proposition was agreed to by the 

 Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries of the United States, Com- 

 missioners of Fisheries of Connecticut, Commissioners of Inland 

 Fisheries of Massachusetts, Commissioners of Fisheries of Maine, 

 Commissioners of Inland Fisheries of Rhode Island, and Mr. 

 William Clift, of Connecticut. The number of spawn to be 

 divided in the same ratio as the amount subscribed. The State of 

 Rhode Island su))scribed $400. 



Mr. Atkins has been very successful in procuring the salmon 

 spawn, the share for the State of Rhode Island being from ninety 

 to one hundred thousand. This brings the cost to about |5 per 

 thousand, a marked saving from what was paid last year, being 

 $35 gold per thousand. These spawn are expected daily, when 

 they will at once be placed in the hatching boxes. The young 

 fish, when hatched^ will be placed in the Blackstone, Pawtuxet 

 and Pawcatuck rivers. The abject of the meeting called by Hon. 



