A REPORT ON THE PLANTING OF QUINNAT SALMON 



FRY IN THE SHORT COAST STREAMS OF 



MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, 



WITH RESULTS OF OBSERVATIONS MADE UPON THEIR 

 MOVEMENTS, FOOD, RATE OF GROWTH, ENEMIES, ETC. 



By N. B. SCHOFIELD, of California Fish Commission. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. The three accompanying plates are to illustrate the rate 

 of growth of Quinnat salmon fry from the streams of Marin County, California. 



In Plate I are four outline figures of the fry at progressive ages. Fig. 1 represents 

 the young salmon with yolk sac just absorbed; Fig-J^Jip days after absorption of yolk 

 sac; Fig. JL AQ days after absorption of yolk sac; Fig.^j62 days after absorption 

 of yolk sac. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are from specimens 1.35, 1.7, 2.51, and 2.98 inches, 

 respectively. 



Plate II represents a young Quinnat salmon taken in brackish water, 107 days after 

 absorption of yolk sac showing loss of markings below lateral line and the faded out 

 parr marks, caused by the brackish water. Drawn from an average specimen 3.2 inches 

 long. This drawing should be compared with Plate III, which figures a young salmon 

 from fresh water. 



Plate III shows a young Quinnat salmon taken in fresh Water 162 days after absorp- 

 tion of yolk sac. Drawn from an average specimen 3.55 inches long. 



The planting of Quinnat salmon fry in the short coast streams of 

 Marin County was primarily an experiment. The Quinnat salmon has 

 never been known to spawn in these streams, probably due to their, 

 proximity to the Sacramento River, which is the popular spawning 

 ground for the salmon of this region. (North of the Russian River, the 

 Quinnat spawns in the small streams as well as in the larger rivers of 

 the coast.) 



Paper Mill Creek and its tributaries are exceptionally rich in aquatic 

 insect life, affording an abundance of food for the fry; and the absence 

 of predaceous fishes, excepting the trout and' blob, make them appar- 

 ently better streams for the rearing of young salmon than the Sacra- 

 mento. It was thought that if the fry could thrive in these streams and 

 pass successfully into salt water, it would be of advantage to utilize 

 coast hatcheries and plant in the smaller streams where the young 

 salmon would not be subjected to their enemies like they are during 

 the long journey from the upper Sacramento to the sea. 



In December, 1896, 855,000 eyed Quinnat salmon eggs were shipped 

 from the Battle Creek hatchery to the Bear Valley hatchery in Marin 

 County, California. Here they were hatched early in February, 1897, 

 and after the yolk sacs were absorbed, which was about thirty days 



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