9 



to perform the duties of maternity, she is still beset by numerous 

 enemies. In the most favorable streams, the areas are not large — 

 having proper beds of gravel, appropriate depth, and the right tem- 

 perature of water — on which the eggs can be deposited. When the 

 eggs are deposited, observation and experiment have shown that 

 only an average of eight per cent, of them come in contact with the 

 fertilizing sperm of the male — ninety-two per cent., of course, die. 

 This eight per cent, is liable to be destroyed by trout and other fish, 

 or to be smothered by a deposit of sediment caused by heavy rains 

 on the summits of the mountains. 



A mature female salmon of the Sacramento will yield 800 eggs to 

 each pound in weight of the fish; thus, a fish of 20 pounds will yield 

 16,000 eggs. It has been estimated that, in a state of nature, not more 

 than two eggs in a thousand ever become fish. This would give the 

 product of the 16,000 eggs, 32 fish. By the discoveries in artificial 

 hatching, these 16,000 eggs can be made to produce 15,000 fish. Every 

 egg can be fertilized and kept under control and inspection in the 

 most favorable conditions as to the current, purity, and temperature 

 of the water, shaded from the direct rays of the sun, and closed 

 securely against the almost innumerable finned, winged, and furred 

 enemies that are seeking to devour it. The young fish, when they 

 come from the egg, can be kept and fed until the most favorable 

 period for placing them in the river. One million eggs can be taken, 

 fecundated, hatched into young salmon, and turned into the river 

 at an expense not to exceed |1,200, and larger numbers at a less ratio. 

 As they find in the ocean the food upon which they grow and become 

 fat, they exhaust nothing from the river; therefore, if some fish are 

 allowed to reach their spawning grounds, the number of salmon in 

 the river can be in proportion to the amount of money the Legisla- 

 ture may see proper to appropriate for their artificial hatching. 



WHITE FISH (COREGONUS ALBA). 



Through the kindness of Professor Baird, United States Fish Com- 

 missioner, we have, since our last report, received from Lake Michi- 

 gan, as a donation, nearly one million eggs of this most valuable food 

 fish. The first lot of 300,000, which arrived January 20th, 1878, had 

 been so kindly cared for by the agents of the express company that 

 they were placed near the stove in the car, and were killed by the 

 heat on the journey. The second lot arrived in good condition, and 

 were successfully hatched out at the State hatching-house, San Lean- 

 dro, and were distributed as follows : 



January 11th, 1879 — To Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake, and lakes at summit of Sierra 200,000 



January 18th, 1879— To Eagle Lake, Lassen County 225,000 



January 21st, 1879— To Tulare Lake 100,000 



February 1st, 1879— Mark West Creek 10,000 



February 17th, 1879 — San Jose Water Company's reservoir 10,000 



February 17th, 1879— Lake Chabot 20,000 



Total : 565,000 



Some of the previous importations of these fish, planted in Tahoe, 

 Tulare, and Clear Lakes, have thrived, and a few mature fish are 

 reported as having been caught in each of these lakes. All of these 

 bodies of water will, without doubt, within a few years, be stocked 



