XCIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Of the eggs collected at Baird, 6,255,000 were transferred to the Cali- 

 fornia State Fish Commission hatchery at Sisson, Cal., 250,000 were 

 shipped to France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, and 20,000 were sent to 

 the Tennessee Centennial Exposition at Nashville, Tenn. The remain- 

 ing eggs, together with 4,247,000 transferred from Battle Creek, were 

 hatched and planted in McCloud Biver with a loss of 354,600 during 

 incubation. 



The eggs and milt were taken simultaneonsly in a dry pan and at once 

 stirred with a feather until the milt was completely mixed with the eggs, 

 when a small quantity of water was added and the eggs again stirred, 

 after which the pan was filled with water and allowed to stand until 

 the eggs separated. As soon as they were washed they were carried 

 to the hatchery and placed in baskets, 30,000 to the basket. The dead 

 ones were kept picked off until the critical stage arrived — that is, the 

 time of the formation of tbe spinal column, which requires from 4 to 8 

 days, according to the temperature of the water. During this period 

 the covers were kept on the troughs, and the eggs were not touched 

 until the young fish could be plainly seen, after which the picking was 

 continued until they were either shipped or hatched. When the covers 

 are first removed from the troughs the eggs are very dirty, being cov- 

 ered \ inch deep with sediment and some little fungus. The loss is 

 small, however, as the under part of the egg, kept clean by the action 

 of the water, is plentifully supplied with air. Some fungus appears in 

 all baskets at this station, though the losses from this source are never 

 large. The picking of the eggs is done by Indian women, some of whom 

 become very expert. In packing eggs for local and foreign shipments 

 the same method was followed as heretofore. 



In December a heavy rain set in, which lasted several days, and the 

 river became so high that the racks and wheels had to be removed, 

 which left the station dependent for its supply of water upon the ditch 

 conveying water from Wiley Creek. At the end of two weeks this 

 supply failed and it became necessary to resort to the steam pump for 

 water for the hatchery. 



As the number of fish hatched at this station was larger than ever 

 before, it became necessary, owing to lack of trough-room, to plant a 

 majority of the fry before the sac was sufficiently absorbed to permit 

 of their swimming freely in the water. Those planted immediately 

 after hatching collected in large banks or schools in the shallow water 

 away from the swift currents, making no effort to hide or burrow under 

 the stones, and were observed always heading upstream. It is feared 

 that large numbers of them were destroyed by fish; one trout captured 

 at the time was found to have 43 young salmon in its stomach. Those 

 liberated with the sac nearly absorbed disappeared at once under the 

 gravel and stones and remained there until the sac was completely 

 absorbed, when they were observed to go out in search of food in small 

 schools. They then gradually worked their way out into deeper and 

 swifter water until they disappeared. Half a million were held in the 



