FISHERIES OF WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA. 273 



place nearer the collectiug-grounds. Attention was paid in the begin- 

 ning to both the sockeye and quinnat. With regard to the former 

 species, it was hoped to more nearly equalize the annual runs, the great 

 diversity of which is described further on. As to the latter, it was 

 desired not only to increase the supply, but also to introduce the more 

 desirable grade from the Columbia Eiver. The propagation of the 

 (juinnat was continued during only five years, however, and was 

 restricted to native stock, the output of fry never exceeding about 

 2,000,000 in any one season. 



The hatching of sockeye, started at the same time, has been con- 

 tinued down to date. The eggs have been mainly secured in Morris 

 Creek, a tributary of Harrison Eiver, the parent fish being caught and 

 held in captivity until the spawn ripened. While the quantity of eggs 

 to a female has been calculated at about 5,000 on an average, the num- 

 ber actually obtained from each has averaged only about 3,000 to 3,500, 

 owing to the fact that, being mostly taken during the jirogress of the 

 spawning season, many of them are more or less spent when they reach 

 the pens in which they are confined. 



The collecting season has varied in different years, beginning in 

 some as early as the middle of September and in others not until about 

 October 8, and ending all the way from October 15 to the first part of 

 November. The period of incubation is relatively short, the fry being 

 produced and planted during March and April following. With few 

 exceptions the plantings have all been made in lower tributaries of 

 the Eraser River, such as the Harrison, Stave, Little Lillooet, Pitt, and 

 Coquitlan rivers. Between 1885 and 1890 relatively small numbers of 

 fry and of semi-hatched eggs were placed in the Cowichan and N^anaimo 

 rivers, of Vancouver Island, neither of which are natural sockeye 

 streams, but so far as can be ascertained this effort at transplanting 

 has met with no success. 



The total number of sockeye eggs collected and the number of fry 

 deposited in the Eraser River during each year since the establish- 

 ment of the hatchery are shown in the following table, in connection 

 with which it will be understood that the fry planted in any one year 

 were derived from the eggs of the previous year: 



Table showhuj the total number of ei/gs of the sockeye salmon eollected and the number of 

 fry deposited in the Fraser Biver from 1884 to 1897. 



Tear. 



Number of 

 eggs col- 

 lected. 



1884 250,000 



1885 1,487.000 



1886 4 , 780, 000 



1887 9,325,000 



1888 4,000,000.' 



1889 9. 233, 000 



1890 ' 3,861,000 



1891 : 6,485,000 



Number of 

 fry deposited 



in the 

 Eraser Eiver. 



2, 405, 000 



3, 870. 000 



4, 046, 500 



5, 540, 000 

 3, 603, 000 



Number of 

 eggs col- 

 lected. 



1892 6, 237, 000 



1893 : 6,880,000 



1894 ' 6, 752, 000 



1895 ! 6,830,000 



1896 1 6, 770, OOO 



1897 i 6,472,000 



1899. 



Number of 

 fry deposited 



in the 

 Fraser Kiver. 



5, 600, 000 



5, 764, 000 



6, 300, 000 

 6, 390, 000 

 6, 393, 000 

 5, 928, 000 

 5, 850, 000 

 5, 500, 000 



rC99- 



