American Fisheries Society. 101 
were removed by the regular egg pickers. At no time could over 
75 per cent. of the bad eggs be made to float. An examination of 
the bad eggs that persisted in sinking showed that they were 
eyed and had been killed by an influx of mud from a second 
storm occurring several days after the storm that killed the great 
majority. As the 25 per cent. were almost as old as the goo 
eggs it would appear to prove that eggs killed at this time are 
of the same specific gravity as good eggs at the same stage of 
development, and therefore will not float in a solution in which 
good eggs sink. The acting foreman could not determine the 
exact strength of the salt solution as he had neither scales nor 
hydrometer. He estimated the amount in the first instance and 
then tempered it by adding water or salt until the best results 
were obtained. The eggs were not injured in the least by the 
brine and were later packed and shipped. This test comprised 
such a large number of eggs that it is considered conclusive. It 
seems to demonstrate that it is perfectly practicable to separate 
bad eggs from good ones provided the good eggs have reached the 
stage where they may be handled with safety and have developed 
beyond the stage of the dead eggs when killed. In other words 
there must be a difference in the development between the good 
and dead eggs to make a difference in the specific gravity, so that 
the heavier or good eggs may sink while the lighter or dead eggs 
float. 
From the experiments made with this solution, conducted 
during portions of two seasons, the conclusion has been reached 
that for removing dead eggs normally occurring in the hatchery 
the process is not practicable at this station for the following 
reasons: It cannot be used until after the eggs have passed the 
tender stage, a period ranging from 12 to 20 days according to 
temperature. If they are not picked during this time the bad 
egos will gather fungus and kill many good ones. The eggs col- 
lect in lumps and the salt solution has no effect upon them until 
they have been separated. As from 40,000 to 50,000 eggs are 
placed to a basket it would be necessary to handle them seven 
or eight times to get results, and as they are frequently shipped 
before they are eyed there is great danger of loss in so much 
handling. Then it is found that eggs of equal development will 
not separate in the solution and only such eggs that have died 
