THIRTY-FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT 49 



completion of the hatchery building: that was first installed under a 

 tent, putting in windows and placing new roof on same, repairing 

 flume and settling tank. A loading platform and signs posted along 

 the hatchery water supply would improve conditions at this station. 

 The roof is of a cheap grade of paper and will be replaced as soon as 

 funds are available with corrugated iron. 



Number of fish hatched and distributed from this station during 

 last two seasons, 449,735. 



The site for this hatchery Ls situated on Fiddle Creek, a tributary 

 of the North Fork of the Yuba River, about 34 miles north of Nevada 

 City. The site was ol)tained by a lease from the Pacific Gas and 

 Electric Company and from Mrs. A. F. Craig. If this site proves 

 suitable for hatchery purposes, it will be a great l)enefit in the distri- 

 bution work as it is centrally located in the Yuba River system, besides 

 a number of lakes can be easily reached from this station. The water 

 so far has been pure and no infection due to the water lias affected the 

 eggs or fish. 



BURNEY CREEK HATCHERY 



Following is a report of the major improvements accomplished at 

 this hatchery during the last two seasons. A rock wall was built 

 under the hatchery as an improvement to prevent the cold winds from 

 blowing up tiirough tlie floor during the winter months and a lot of 

 work on the road to insure against accidents where the road was too 

 narrow on turns and ([uite dangerous, and where some accidents had 

 already occurred. A ladies' rest room was built, and an aciuarium in 

 the hatchery. 



Other improvements are neces.sary at the Burney Creek Hatchery. 

 A small freezing plant should be installed and there should be $500 

 allowed for constructing an additional cottage or cabin. 



The total output of fish from this station during the last two seasons 

 was 2,884,000. 



An experimental egg-collecting station on Toms Creek, a tributary 

 to Ballard's Reservoir, was opened. The c^*^ take was small and most 

 of the males were in poor condition, making the percentage of fertili- 

 zation very low, and unless the reservoir can be closed to fishing at 

 all times so it can be built up with fish, it will not pay to operate there. 



BUTTE LAKE 



The fish there are good spawners. This lake ought to produce not 

 less than 2,000.000 eggs and should be operated as an auxiliary station 

 to the Burney Creek Hatchery. Due to the heavy fishing by the tour- 

 ists at present, the lake will have to be closed until later in the season, 

 and would suggest closing it until the first of July or all the year if 

 possible. The main reason for having a later opening season is due to 

 the fact that in the month of May, when most of the fish are caught, is 

 when the fish are looking for an outlet to the lake and there being no 

 surface inlet or outlet to the lake, the fish mill around the lake on the 

 shore line where the water is so shallow that their backs are out of the 

 water and at that time anyone can catch all the fish they care to. Later 

 on, after the spawning is over, the fish quiet down and return to the 

 deeper parts of the lake where the anglers can not slaughter them as 



4 — 81166 



