734 BULI^ETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



water as eggs are added; they are painted inside with asphaltum, and are 

 provided with covers. With the eggs in them they are placed on a platform 

 which is built under water at sufficient depth to submerge about two-thirds 

 of the body of the bucket, and thus maintain a proper temperature during 

 water hardening. It is an essential feature of this platform that it be entirely 

 independent of the spawning platform in construction. The period between 

 the washing and hardening of the eggs is a critical one, and if thev are jarred 

 or disturbed there will be consequent greater loss in the hatchery. 



In the spawntaking operations five or six male fish are first dipped from the 

 pen and dropped on the floor, where they are allowed to lie until they stop strug- 

 gling and may be more easily handled. Then several females are dipped out, 

 killed by a blow on the head with a piece of iron piping, and laid in the dead 

 box. The bottom of this box is inclined and has a narrow slit at the lower 

 end, through which any eggs that may escape from the fish will fall into a pan 

 underneath, where they will be fertilized by occasional applications of milt. 

 The dipping and killing continues until all the fish are stripped, males always 

 being kept on the floor in order to have several ahead of the spawntakers. 

 After being stripped the best-appearing males are returned to the pens, where 

 they usually recuperate and are again used to supply milt. 



The female fish is grasped by forcing the fingers through the gills. and the 

 thumb into the mouth, the hand being protected by a stout leather glove. The 

 man who does this, the headholder, stands, holding the fish vertically. The 

 spawntaker, in a kneeling position, seizes the fish by the tail, bending its body 

 over the pan, while with a sweeping motion he makes an incision in the thin 

 side of the belly beginning near the pectoral fins and extending to the anal. 

 The incision is usually made with a pocketknife, the blade being held between 

 the thumb and index finger within one-half to three-fourths inch of its extreme 

 point to prevent cutting too deep. Most of the eggs follow the knife and fall 

 into the pan, the remaining ripe eggs being released by running the fingers into 

 the body cavity. As soon as the eggs begin to flow into the pan milt is forced 

 over them and they are stirred by the spawntaker with a few movements of the 

 hand. They are then passed to the washer. The milt of one male may serve 

 for several pans of eggs, but it often happens early in the season that several 

 males are required to one pan. 



As soon as the washer receives the pan of eggs he dips the edge of it in the 

 river, the inflowing water causing the eggs and milt to boil up. The eggs at 

 once settle back and the milt is poured off over the side of the pan. Ordinarily 

 two such dips suffice to clean the eggs, after which they are poured into spawn 

 buckets, and at once settle to the bottom, the surplus water escaping through 

 the wire-cloth strainer near the top. Spawning operations usually consume 

 about an hour. After water hardening the eggs are carried to the hatchery, 

 about 200 yards distant, and turned over to the hatchery crew. 



