15 



tensive mining was prosecuted, but their spawning beds being covered by 

 sediment, tiieir eggs would not mature; and as the old fish died or were 

 killed (no new ones taking their place), they became extinct in these 

 streams. A similar condition of things exists with regard to sawdust; 

 neither Salmon nor Trout object to passing through water in which 

 sawdust is floating, and if their spawning beds are above the sawmills, 

 the fish in the streams on which sawmills are situated will continue to 

 breed; but if the sawmills are situated above the spawning beds of the 

 fish, the sawdust is deposited on their beds, and the fish in a few years 

 become extinct. 



In Canada and other of the British Provinces where there are exten- 

 sive lumber interests, by provision of law each sawmill is required to 

 have a furnace attached, in which the sawdust as fast as made is con- 

 sumed. The expense of such a furnace is but trifling, and in those 

 countries the fish is preserved and the law obeyed without objection. 

 We would recommend that a similar law be enacted in this State, and, 

 while great objection is made to it on the part of mill owners, yet, 

 probably, the millmen on the Truckee River and its tributaries have 

 already expended more money in the publication of pamphlets, and in 

 other means to defeat legislation on this subject, than would be sufficient 

 to build furnaces for all the mills on that river. 



TRANSPORTATION OF SALT-WATER FISH. 



We are frequently asked to expend a portion of the appropriation ia 

 bringing to this coast some of the salt-water fish of the Atlantic. As 

 will be noticed from Mr. Stone's report, the only salt-water fish which 

 he succeeded in bringing through alive were Tautog. The truth is, that 

 the science of fish culture is so young that the preservation alive, and 

 the transportation of salt-water fish is, as yet, entirely experimental, 

 and our appropriation is so small that we have not felt authorized to 

 expend any portion of the money in doing California's share in ascer- 

 taining how best salt-water fish may be successfully transported. For 

 two seasons past the Governments of the United States and Germany, 

 with the benefit of ail the knowledge and intelligence yet acquired, 

 have been unable to successfully transport young Shad from the Hud- 

 son to the rivers of Germany emptying into the Northern Ocean. Pro- 

 fessor Baird has during the present Summer been expending a portion 

 of the Government appropriation in determining how long various salt- 

 water fish, including Lobsters and other shell-fish, can be kept alive in 

 small bodies of sea water. When the result of these experiments is 

 ascertained, if found practicable, it would be of much advantage to im- 

 port several of the fish of the Atlantic coast, as well as the Chinese 

 Shad (called by them Samlai) from the Yang-tze Kiang Eiver, which is 

 said to be much larger and of finer flavor than the Shad of the Atlantic 

 coast; also, the Gourami, a large fresh-water fish from Cochin China, 

 which is very valuable for food, and living, as it does, on aquatic plants, 

 would thrive in the sloughs and stagnant waters in the southern portion 

 of the State. 



In conclusion, we desire again to call attention to the valuable reports 

 of Mr. Stone hereto appended, as giving information valuable for preser- 

 vation, and to again ask through you of the Legislature an increased 

 appropriation for the purposes of the Commission. We may be per- 

 mitted to refer (without laying ourselves open to the charge of egotism) 



