66 REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



1,100 two year olds, and 154 two and three year olds. These were 

 distributed in New York with the exception of the 154, which were 

 liberated in Sturgeon River, Michigan. In the winter 368,710 brook- 

 trout eggs were purchased from one of the commercial hatcheries 

 in Massachusetts. On their arrival at the station 9,675 were dead. 

 The balance hatched in March, producing 333,518 fry, or 93 per cent 

 of the good eggs received. They were hatched in spring water between 

 March 7 and 28, and the fry commenced feeding April 10. Half of 

 them were fed on beef liver and the remainder on carp. Those fed 

 on the liver were in better condition at the close of the year than the 

 others, being larger and healthier, though it seemed at first that the 

 carp-fed fry would be superior. The poor results attained with the 

 latter are attributed to the fact that the use of carp as food pollutes 

 the water, discoloring it and leaving an oily scum on the surface. 

 This difficulty is not encountered to any extent in using liver. 



On April 12 the distribution of the fry was commenced, and by the 

 25th of May 257,500 had been liberated. 



For purposes of experiment 1,000 grayling fry were held over from 

 the hatch of the previous year and fed on finely pulverized liver, the 

 size of the pieces increasing with the growth of the fish. On July 31 

 the largest of them were an inch long and by the end of August 1^ 

 inches. In September, when they were counted and transferred from 

 the troughs to Pond Q, they numbered 585. They grew slowly during 

 the winter, but increased in size very perceptibly during the spring 

 months, and at the close of the year the remaining 300 measured from 

 3^ to 7 inches in length. On the 11th of June 70,000 eggs arrived 

 from Bozeman. The temperature at the top of the case on arrival 

 was 52°, but in the center it registered 47°. The eggs showed evi- 

 dence of great care in packing, and about 25 pounds of ice remained 

 in the case. They measured 810 to the fluid ounce. The hatching 

 was done on trout trays with spring water, the first fry appearing on 

 June 13 and the last on the 23d. When first hatched the fry lay on the 

 bottom from two to four days, until the sac was absorbed. They then 

 rose to the surface and appeared to be vigorous and active. From the 

 70,000 eggs received 56,000 fry were planted in the various branches 

 of the Rifle River, Pere Marquette River, and Baldwin Creek. 



During February 13,650 rainbow-trout eggs arrived from Man- 

 chester in very bad condition, and though they yielded 12,860 fry they 

 were so weak that 7,000 of them died before the absorption of the sac. 

 The 385 rainbow trout hatched at the station several years ago were 

 given to private applicants in August, it having been decided to dis- 

 continue the rearing of these fish at Northville. 



Of the 3-year-old Loch Leven trout, 195 females spawned in Novem- 

 ber and December, which is much later than usual. The older fish 

 also produced a few eggs, but they were of no value, 50,950 being 

 secured from the entire stock. When they were sufficiently developed 

 for shipment, 20,000 were sent to the New Hampshire Commission and 



