14 



LOBSTERS (homarus americanus); eels (anguilla); striped bass 

 (roccus lineatus), and black bass (micropterus nigricans). 



In 1874, with the aid and experience of Mr. Livingston Stone, we 

 made the attempt to stock the waters of the Bay of San Francisco 

 with lobsters. Mr. Stone left Boston in a car prepared with all the 

 appliances then known for transporting fresh and salt water fish. 

 One portion of his charge consisted of 150 lobsters. With the excep- 

 tion of four all of these died on the journey. These four were placed 

 in the Bay of San Francisco at the end of the Oakland pier. They 

 were alive, but seemed feeble, and we had small hope that they would 

 survive and propagate. Since that time reports have been made that 

 young lobsters have been caught in the bay. An examination of 

 all that have been brought to us, as young lobsters, has shown that 

 they belonged to some other family of Crustacea, i^ln July of the 

 present year (1879), Mr. Livingston Stone again made the attempt to 

 bring lobsters, eels, striped bass, and black bass from the Atlantic 

 States, j Availing himself of his experience obtained in former jour- 

 neys, and having learned by repeated experiments a method of 

 retaining ocean water in a state of purity in small tanks, he suc- 

 ceeded, by constant work and assiduous attention, in bringing from 

 the Atlantic Ocean and depositing in the Pacific Ocean at the Golden 

 Gate, 24 female lobsters. It is estimated that these lobsters had 

 attached to them more than two million eggs, all of which would 

 hatch within a week from the time they were deposited. We believe 

 we can now look forward with confidence to the time when lobsters 

 will be found in abundance in our waters. 



In 1874 a few young eels were brought from the Atlantic and 

 planted in lakes near Sacramento, and others in the Bay of San Fran- 

 cisco, near Brooklyn. We have no reports of those placed in the 

 salt-water. Several have been taken in the fresh-water, near Sacra- 

 mento, full grown, and three feet in length. Finding they would 

 thrive, we obtained, through Mr. Stone, 4,000, which, in July, were 

 planted, one-half in the Sacramento River, and the other half in 

 Alameda Creek. Without doubt they will, in a few years, fill our 

 streams. 



At the same time Mr. Stone brought from the Neversink River, 

 New Jersey, 150 young striped bass, which were successfully turned 

 into the brackish water of the Sacramento River, at Martinez. It is 

 to be hoped they will escape the nets of fishermen, the sea lions, and 

 seals. Should a few pair survive their enemies and propagate they 

 will add a most valuable food fish to our salt, brackish, and fresh- 

 waters. 



The 73 black bass brought in the aquarium car of 1874 were planted 

 in Napa River. A number of these were caught in 1875, and proba- 

 bly all were exterminated by anglers, who could not wait until time 

 had been given the fish to breed. We can hear of none having 

 been caught during the past two years. We have again made the 

 attempt to introduce this valuable fish. In July last Mr. Stone again 

 brought 24 black bass, and 22 fully mature fish were placed in the 

 Crystal Spring reservoir of the Spring Valley Water Company, in 

 San Mateo County. We have the assurance of the officers of the 

 company that this reservoir shall be preserved, and no fishing 

 allowed in it for three years, or until such time as we desire to take 

 young bass for stocking other waters. 



