REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP FIHH AND FISHERIES. XCVII 



them the tirst two or three times. When the troughs are first uncov- 

 ered the eggs are found buried in the mud aud sediment to the depth 

 of ^ inch or more, bnt this is easily removed by raising the basket 

 slightly and settling it back in the trough. A little fungus also devel- 

 ops, but the loss from this cause is slight, amounting this season to less 

 than 200,000 on 1<),000,000 eggs. As soon as the eye-spots appear the 

 eggs are packed in the Annin sliipping-(;ase and sent to the California 

 hatchery. 



As the temperature of the water at Baird varies constantly, observa- 

 tions of the eggs at different stages were made, as a result of which 

 the employees of the station are now able to determine from the appear 

 ance of the eggs, after knowing the mean temperature of the water, not 

 only the age of the eggs, but their fitness for shipment. With a mean 

 temperature of 54° the egg enters the critical stage at the end of the 

 fourth day, fig, 2. At the sixth day they are very tender and remain so 

 for several days. On the fourteenth day (fig. 10) they are hardy and can 

 be picked without danger. At 54° they can, with care, be picked 

 over on the fourth day, but from that time to the end of the eleventh or 

 twelfth day they should be left undisturbed. 



This information is important where there are many millions of eggs 

 to be cared for, as it saves the necessity of keeping an exact record of the 

 length of time the various lots have been under cover, and does away 

 with the old custom of washing a basket for the purpose of determining 

 whether or not they will stand handling, this method destroying many 

 eggs in experimental washing. The figures show the development of 

 the egg at 54°, but the same would be true at any temperature except 

 that with colder water more time is recjuired for the egg to reach the 

 various stages. 



Owing to the crowded condition of the hatchery it became necessary 

 to plant some of the eggs from the fall run before the sac was nearly 

 absorbed, and it is feared that quite a large proportion of these were 

 destroyed, as several trout captured were full of young salmon. The 

 majority of the fry, though, were planted at the proper age, and it is 

 believed that comparatively few of these were eaten by trout, judging 

 from an examination of the stomachs of those caught. 



In a pond 50 feet long, 4 feet wide, and inches deep near the edge 

 of the river, and fed by the overflow from the hatchery, 20,000 young 

 salmon were placed. They remained here for nearly a month and were 

 in fine condition wh&n liberated. 



The results .secured this year were not due so much to the large run 

 of salmon as to the fact that all fish entering the rack were held there 

 by the retaining-rack. Many more eggs could have been taken, as the 

 crew fished only four liours each day, but as the hatchery was over- 

 crowded it was not deemed advisable. After the salmon were stripped 

 they were killed and given to the Indians, who came from far and near 

 for them. The flesh is dried in the sun, and this forms their main food 

 supi^ly during the winter months. 



F 99 VII 



