40) REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
hatched successfully, the first fry appearing in the jar on May 20, 
having taken just a week to hatch, with an average temperature of 
65°. After holding the fish in pens until the 1st of June they were 
all released, as the indications were that they were not becoming any 
riper. ‘Two or three were killed and opened, and the eggs appeared 
to be caked together and worthless. 
On the Lamoille River sturgeon made their first appearance on May 
15. Trap and gill nets were used, but the majority were caught by 
hooking them at a place on the river called ‘‘sturgeon hole,” where 
spawning sturgeon apparently collect. The water here is too deep to 
spear the fish, and nets can not be used; but they are taken by twitch- 
ing them up with hooks, men watching the hole night and day. Many 
breeders were obtained in this way, 27 being caught on May 22, when 
the temperature of the water was 68°. Nearly all of these were ripe 
males, but on the afternoon of the next day two ripe females were cap- 
tured. Asthe fish did not struggle violently at first, the men were able 
to stop the flow of eggs by stuffing handkerchiefs into the vent. They 
were then towed across the river, where the males had been secured, 
and were instantly killed by a blow on the head. In this way 1,300,000 
eges, were taken, but soon after the weather became extremely cold, 
the temperature of the water dropping severgl degrees, and as no 
more sturgeon were captured the work was abandoned and_ those 
in confinement were turned loose. Efforts were then made to eateh 
sturgeon on MeNall Bay, in Lake Champlain, a short distance south of 
the mouth of the Lamoille. On the 4th or 5th of June three apparently 
ripe females were captured, but when opened the eggs were found to 
be insufficiently advanced for fertilization. A number of others were 
‘aught in this bay during the next few days, but no more impregnated 
eggs were secured, and on June 12 efforts were discontinued. The 
sturgeon eggs were found, by actual count, to average 850 to the fluid 
ounce. They are apparently amorphous, and of a dull, dirty color, 
but this appearance is caused by a cobwebby film which surrounds 
each egg. By squeezing between the fingers the film can be easily 
separated from the egg, and the eggs then seem spherical, clear, and 
crystalline, not very different in size from white-fish eggs, though 
probably somewhat larger. When ripe the eggs come from the parent 
fish more easily and are somewhat glutinous, but if taken from a 
freshly caught fish they are not more glutinous than the pike-perch 
eggs, and will not give any more trouble if treated similarly. 
Of the total number of eggs collected (1,320,000) 20,000 were hatched 
at Swanton, 380,000 were sent to Cape Vincent, where they were lost, 
and the balance were lost at the fishing-grounds. In the opinion of the 
superintendent, the folowing points with reference to the collection 
of sturgeon eggs seem to be pretty well established : 
Lake sturgeon go up the tributary rivers of Lake Champlain to 
spawn. They ascend different rivers at different times, the time for 
each river apparently being determined by the temperature of the 
