11 



whole undertaking, from beginning to end, having been a perfect suc- 

 cess." 



Immediate!}^ upon hearing of the loss of the aquarium car, we tele- 

 graphed a remittance to Mr. Scone, at Omaha, and directed him to rep^iir 

 at once to the Hudson Eiver, and bring out, while yet in time, all the 

 young shad which his now reduced facilities would permit. 



Mr. Stone at once proceeded East, and communicating, by telegram, 

 with Mr. Spencer P. Baird, United States Fish Commissioner, received 

 from him not only prompt attention, but was also furnished by Mr. 

 Baird, for the California Commission, all of the shad Avhich the United 

 States Commission could spare — forty thousand in number — which were 

 immediately sent through to California, at the expense of the United 

 States Fish Commission, under the care of Mr. Stone, free of all charges, 

 for which, and for the many kind and valuable aids extended to us by 

 Mr. Baird, this Commission takes this public opportunity of returning 

 their most grateful thanks. 



Upon receiving advice of the approach of this shipment, one of the 

 Commissioners repaired to Sacramento, and there mot the incoming car 

 with a fresh supply of water and ice. The little immigrants were found 

 to be all alive and in excellent spirits, and after receiving a fresh sup- 

 ply of ice and water, proceeded on their journey to Tehama, on the 

 Sacramento Eiver, and there, that same night, they were successfully 

 placed in the waters which flow into the Pacific. 



In the Spring of eigliteen hundred and seventy-two, we opened cor- 

 respondence with Mr. Seth Green, for an additional supply of shad, 

 but the earl}^ Summer and excessive heat of the Eastern States at that 

 time, compelled us to abandon the attempt for the season. 



In the meantime, viz., in the Fall of eighteen hundred and seventy- 

 two, we received advice of a shipment, made to us by Mr, Baird, of 

 white fish eggs, and we immediately took measures to hatch them, and 

 place them in the waters of the State. 



In view of this, we caused an examination of the different lakes into 

 which they could be placed with the best prospect of success, which re- 

 sulted in our selecting Clear Lake as affording most of the necessary 

 conditions. Among these conditions is an essential one, namely: that 

 it may be seined without destroying other valuable fish, there being few 

 or no fish in that lake, the destruction of which by seining would be 

 any loss, or which, at any rate, would not be most profitably replaced 

 by the vv^hite fish, which can be taken only by seining or tr;ipj)ing. The 

 climate, also, of Clear Lake, seemed to us to be the best within reach, 

 remembering always that the eggs of the white fish are very delicate, 

 and will not bear rough transportation. As it was, in the first attempt 

 all the eggs perished; and in the second effort, although great pains 

 were taken, a very large ])roportion of the eggs perished on the way. 



Having selected what we deemed a proper place, we erected a 

 hatching house, under the charge of Mr. J. G. Woodbury, of whom we 

 take pleasure in speaking as a skillful, careful, intelligent, and economi- 

 cal manager. 



Mr. Woodbury conducted the hatching of these eggs with great suc- 

 cess, and closed his labors with putting into Clear Lake twenty-five 

 thousand living and healthy young white tish, from wdiich we may reason- 

 ably- hope to stock all the suitable Avatcrs in the State. It may be well to 

 state, that the great object at first is to get the desirable fish here and 



