FISH-CULTURAL PRACTICES IN THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 747 



In the handling of eggs of the cod and other marine fishes a so-called kettle, 

 oval and with a concave top, is used to retain them on board ship in a choppy 

 sea. The water in which they are kept must be frequently changed or aerated. 

 The eggs are shipped to the hatchery in large fruit or butter jars, rockweed or 

 moss, together with ice or snow, being used in packing them. It is regarded 

 as impracticable to ship eggs of marine fishes for travel of more than two or 

 three days. 



ARGENTINE CASE. 



While the various methods above described have all been successfully 

 employed in the transportation of eggs across the United States and also to 

 Europe without an attendant, shipments of eggs to points south of the equator, 

 usually leaving this country in winter and arriving at their destination in sum- 

 mer, have called for more than usual attention to the methods of packing them, 

 and a caretaker is quite essential. 



A highly efficient form of shipping case has been developed during the past 

 few years for the transportation of eggs of the Salmonidae from this country 

 to Argentina. It is 3 feet 6 inches long, 2 feet wide, and not exceeding 30 

 inches high, outside measurement, and is constructed of selected tongued and 

 grooved lumber. It has double walls, with bottom and top common to both, 

 the 2-inch space between the walls being filled with nonconducting material, 

 preferably tightly packed shavings. Between the inner wall and the stack of 

 trays is a 2 3^-inch space for ice, separated from the trays by perforated zinc. 

 Between the latter and the trays, in a ^-inch space, are the vertical supports of 

 the zinc, viz, double corner supports, one being % hy i}4 inches, the other 

 being yi by i inch; two intermediate supports of X by i inch material, which 

 are provided on either side of the case and one at each end; and cross braces 

 of }i by I inch material, which extend from the uprights to the inner walls of 

 the case. 



The ice hopper, 3 inches in depth, and having the same outside dimen- 

 sions as the trays, rests upon the latter and fills the space between the upper- 

 most tray and the top of the case. It has a perforated zinc bottom, and, to 

 facilitate handling, cleats of small ropes are attached to it. The top of the 

 case is insulated with a 2-inch thickness of nonconductor covered with sheet 

 zinc, this insulation fitting closely into the chest when closed, and thus covering 

 not only the ice hopper but the ice spaces around the sides as well. In the 

 bottom grooves lead to a |^-inch drain hole, which is provided with a cork. Two 

 cleats H by 3 inches are attached lengthwise to the bottom on the outside. 



The trays are one-half inch deep, 27 inches long, and 9 inches wide inside 

 measurements, the frames being of >^ by X inch material. The bottom of each 



