LXXXVI REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FTSH AND FISHERIES. 



out raceways ; consequently it was necessary to handle them daily in 

 order to select the ripe ones. 



Of the 11,326 black bass on hand in July, 10,151 were distributed 

 during the fall. The distribution was very successfully accomplished, 

 the loss amounting to almost nothing. During the summer it was 

 noticed that one trough of fish in the hatchery were not doing well. 

 They were transferred to another trough in the spring branch which 

 was supplied with warm water, and in a few days they were thriving. 

 In October 100 of the adult bass collected from Meredosia Bay were 

 transferred to the station. They were placed in the ponds, and were 

 taught in a few days to take artificial food: At first lish cut in large 

 pieces was fed to them along with minnows; after a short time the 

 minnows were omitted, liver being mixed with the cut fish, and a few 

 days later they were taking liver and beef without trouble. When 

 the pond was drawn in March, 98 of this lot remained. 



Owing to the roily condition of the water during the spring, spawn- 

 ing was observed in only one instance. Large numbers of fry were seen 

 in the ponds later, but no attempt was made to transfer them, as the 

 water contained an abundance of natural food. Contrary to the usual 

 practice, the ponds were kept full of water during the winter, and at 

 the spawning time they were abundantly supplied with vegetation and 

 insect life. A few young fish were transferred to the hatchery for 

 experimental feeding, and no difficulty was experienced in teaching 

 those over half an inch in length to take food. 



When the distribution of rock bass was made in the fall, 13,618 fish 

 remained of the 14,850 on hand in July. In the spring, when the pond 

 was drawn to prepare it for the breeders, 1,950 young bass were taken 

 out which must have hatched there late in the fall. Spawning occurred 

 at the usual time and numbers of young fry appeared later. 



The results of last season's work with strawberry bass and crappie, 

 though not so large as had been hoped for, were the most successful 

 so far attained at the station. Of the 10,630 fry on hand from the 

 hatch of the previous spring, 56 per cent, or 5,962, were distributed in 

 the fall. It is very difficult to handle these fish in warm Aveather, and 

 it is also hard to teach them to take food. In the spring 62 strawberry 

 bass were placed in pond 14 and 11 crappie in another pond. 



The following table shows the number of fish on hand at the close of 

 the year, and the maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures to which 

 the various species were subjected: 



Species. 



Rainbow 



Black bass 



Rock bass 



Crappie 



Strawberry bass. 



Calendar year in whicb 

 hatched. 



1898. 



92, 200 



1897. 



1,974 



95 



1,950 



71 



1895. 



1,200 



198 



92 



11 



60 



Tenipe rature to which 

 subjected. 



Max. Min. Mean 



°F. 

 75' 

 91 

 89 

 87 

 90 



°F. 

 46 

 32 

 36 

 32 

 33 



°F. 

 58! 34 

 60.79 

 58.25 

 59.10 

 58.22 



