40 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



about. This condition should have a close scientific investigation, which 

 Ave hope to make in the near future. In former years we had mature 

 fish from two to six years and even older and always had perfect eggs 

 that produced strong, healthy eggs and fish. We do not state posi- 

 tively that the continual breeding of young fish will produce the 

 results mentioned above, but as soon as possible, we shall raise our own 

 stock fish as in former years. 



The predatory birds and animals have taken quite a number of 

 brood fish during the last two years. Three otters were trapped on 

 the hatchery grounds during the summer of 1925. A constant watch 

 must be kept by the hatchery crew to guard against the predatory 

 animals and birds that are constantly attracted to the ponds by the 

 large number of fish contained in them and by the ease with which 

 they can be caught. 



FALL CREEK HATCHERY AND POND SYSTEM. 



The Fall Creek Hatchery has been operated to its capacity during the 

 period covered by this report. Improvements were made by construct- 

 ing a new concrete settling tank from which a 12-inch iron pipe con- 

 veys the water to the hatchery and by installing 116 new hatching 

 troughs. They are of a new standard size. The hatching troughs are 

 now arranged so that each trough receives an independent supply of 

 water. This arrangement is especially desirable at this hatchery owing 

 to the large amount of mud and sediment carried in the water during 

 certain periods of the year. 



The number of trout hatched and distributed from tliis station 

 during the ' bieunium was 888,000. The number of salmon hatched 

 and reared in the ponds before being distributed in the Klamath River 

 during this period was 7,556,000. (The resulting fry taken during the 

 fall of 1925 have not all been distributed at this date, so Avill not be 

 reported on until our next biennial report.) 



HORNBROOK EGG-COLLECTING STATION. 



We arc planning to move this station farther down the creek for 

 several reasons : 



First, tlie distance from the Klamath River to the trap is approxi- 

 mately two miles and a great many of the trout find spawning beds 

 below the rack and do not enter the trap. As a consequence, a less 

 number of eggs are taken than would be the case if the trap was 

 located farther down the stream. This condition was known when 

 we located at the present site, but we did not have money enough to 

 construct a permanent station at that time as the formation of the 

 creek bottom necessitated a considerable outlay of money to construct 

 racks that would stand the floods during the spring months. With 

 the money now available by the deficiency appropriation we can move 

 the racks and traps and if we are fortunate in getting some assistance 

 from some one owning teams in that section, we can move the cottage 

 for the help, tanks, etc., on skids, to the new location. 



Second, the great number of fish that find spawning beds below 

 the rack are a great temptation to the law violators who spear many 

 of the spawners each season. By moving nearer the mouth, this destruc- 

 tion will be eliminated. 



