REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XLIX 



tlie first eggs were takeii on September 28. Collections continued until 

 October 25, during which period 080,000 were obtained from G,092 fish 

 captured, of which 510,000 eggs, or 75 per cent, were eyed. Late in the 

 season many spent fish ascended the stream, showing that a consider- 

 able number spawn in the pond. On account of its dark color the 

 water of the pond can not be examined more than a foot below the 

 surface, and consequently the nests could not be located. 



In support of the theory advanced in 1898 that the quality of the egg- 

 is att'ected by long confinement of the fish before ripening the following 

 table is interesting and tends to confirm the statements then made: 



Operations at Lake Mitchell, Sharon, were inaugurated July 23 by the 

 construction of a trap. In September Mr. G. II. Tolbertwas placed in 

 charge of the station and at once commenced the construction of a 

 shanty 8 by 12 feet, which was supplied with water by a spring in the 

 immediate vicinity. The volume of water from this spring amounts 

 to only 10 or 12 gallons per minute. On October 8, when Mr. Tolbert 

 was transferred to Danby, about 700 trout had been captured, and subse- 

 quent takes brought tlie total to 2,100. The first eggs were secured on 

 October 8 and the last on JS'ovember 12. The yield amounted to 408,401, 

 but on account of trouble with the water supply, which necessitated the 

 changing of the location of the hatchery when the eggs were at a crit- 

 ical stage, the loss was great. The eggs were transferred to St. Johns- 

 bury as soon as eyed and produced 150,000 fry for distribution. 



Arrangements were made, as usual, to collect eggs from trout in Fair- 

 banks Pond. About 50,000 were secured, of which 27,500 proved good. 



The Wells Kiver Fish and Game Club ponds are about an hour's 

 drive from Wells River, and when well stocked will prove a profitable 

 field for work. About 17,000 eggs were secured there in October. 



Arrangements were entered into with Hon. S. L. Griffith, at Danby, 

 to collect eggs from his pond on shares. Mr. G. II. Tolbert was placed 

 in charge of the vrork at that i)oint. The Commission was to receive 

 200,000 eyed eggs for his services, but owing to defective arrangements 

 the results were unsatisfactory, so that Mr. Griffith was obliged to 

 purchase 1,000,000 eggs from one of the commercial hatcheries in 

 Massachusetts. Of these, 200,000 were turned over to the Commission. 



Arrangements were made to take both lake and brook trout eggs at 

 Caspian Lake. A large pound netwas i)urchased, and two fishermen from 

 Lake Champlain were engaged to operate it. Owing to unexpected 

 delays the net was not placed in the water until October 15, and on the 



r C 99 IV 



