20 HISTORY OF HOWIETOUN. 



Mather in regard to the Lochleven trout. He speaks very highly of the manner 

 of packing adopted by you. Yours truly, S. F. BAIRD. 



Sir JAMES MAITLAND, 



Craigend, Stirling, Scotland. 



U.S. COMMISSION OF FISHING AND FISHERIES. 

 WASHINGTON, B.C., March 31, 1885. 



DEAR SIR, The 100,000 Loehleven trout eggs so kindly donated by you to 

 the U.S. Fish Commission reached destination in first-class condition. Ten 

 thousand of them were retained at the hatching-station at Cold Spring Harbour, 

 Long Island, New York, for planting in waters in the Adirondack region, and the 

 balance were sent to Northville station, Mich. These were subsequently assigned 

 as follows : 



E. B. Hodge, for a lake in New Hampshire presenting special adaptations, 5,000 

 A. W. Aldrich, for planting in suitable streams in North-eastern Iowa, 20,000 

 R. 0. Sweeny, for lakes in Minnesota, ..... 20,000 



C. G. Atkins at Grand Lake Stream, for suitable lakes in Maine, . 10,000 



We anticipate important results from this distribution, and propose to keep 

 all of the plants under close observation, so as to be informed of the results in 

 each case. 



In connection with the introduction of this species into American waters, it is 

 proposed to publish in our Annual Eeport a figure and description of the species, 

 with a full account of its habits and habitat, and I am directed by the Commis- 



ones. The latter I did not remove, but the wetting given them may restore many. In no 

 book or paper on Fish-culture have I seen mention of injury to the embryo by the lack of 

 moisture, which shows itself by indentation. As yon are aware, I have received many 

 millions of eggs that have come on long journeys, both from California and Europe, and I 

 have found that the mortality in eggs that have been indented is so great as to be nearly 

 total. In moss packing it happens that a few eggs will be protected from the drip of ice by 

 some arrangement of the tibres of moss and will get dry. 



Mr. Maitland's eggs were most thoroughly packed in boxes with a lining and a five-inch 

 space between. This space may or may not be rilled, I cannot see. The lining is charred, 

 and a box, some three feet long, two feet wide, and two feet high (I guess at measures, 

 writing at home), held six boxes, each about eight inches square, and five inches deep. We 

 get more eggs in such-sized packages, and do not put on as much labour and expense. 



I sent Mr. Clark's eggs in the box which brought me 1,000,000 white-tish eggs a few days 

 before, and believe they will go in good order. 



I will use Mr. Maitland's boxes, as far as they will go, for the shipments to Germany and 

 Switzerland next week. I saw Mr. Maitland's instructions not to repack the eggs, but 

 believe that they are better for the drink they had before going on. 



Unless you telegraph me to do differently, I will ask the Ounard Line to take the eggs for 

 England next week. They will arrive here about Friday or Saturday, 9th or 10th, and I see 

 that there is no Bremen ship to go on Wednesday the 14th, so I will ice and keep the 

 German eggs until then, and pick them over again before they start. 



Mr. Emil Frey, Minister from Switzerland, requested me to correspond with the Swiss 

 Consul in New York, as he had arranged with the Compagnie G^nerale Transatlantique. I 

 wrote him some days ago, but have no reply. Very truly yours, 



F. MATHER. 



Prof. S. F. BAIRD, Washington, D.C. 



