76 REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



San Marcos Station, Texas (J. L. Leary, Superintendent). 



During the summer a pond 1 acre in area was constructed on a tri- 

 angular space lying between the roadways and the circular ponds. 

 This was built particularly for the propagation of crappie, and receives 

 its water supply from the current wheel through a 6-inch pipe. Con- 

 crete walks were laid around the office and artesian well, the office and 

 buildings were painted, and 200 loads of gravel were procured for 

 improving the bottoms of the ponds. 



The weather conditions during the year were very favorable for 

 work until January 15, when tremendous rainfalls commenced and 

 continued until the middle of April, causing floods in many parts of 

 the State and doing a great deal of damage. On April 7 the San 

 Marcos River overflowed its banks, flooding the entire pond system 

 supplied by the artesian well and causing the loss of all the black 

 bass that were ready for distribution and a large number of brood- 

 fish, besides destroying many nests of eggs by depositing on them a 

 heavy coat of sediment. Over 10,000 fry had been counted out into 

 one of the ponds for distribution, and it is estimated that the loss of 

 fish between 2 and 3 inches long was over 50,000. Fortunately the 

 overflow occurred during the day, and by stretching a seine across 

 Pond H as the water receded a part of the brood stock was saved. 

 The rainfall has been of decided advantage, though, in increasing the 

 water supply, the well now flowing 1,000 gallons per minute. The 

 winter was mild, the lowest temperature being 16° above zero on Feb- 

 ruary 18. June 22 was the hottest day of the year, the thermometer 

 registering 102 in the shade. The temperature of the water from the 

 well is stationary at 73° the year round. The average temperature in 

 the ponds is about 69°. 



The methods employed in the propagation of black bass, crappie, 

 rock bass, and bream, were practically the same as in the past, the 

 increase in pond area permitting the utilization of additional ponds 

 for black bass, the most important flsh handled at the station. The 

 spawning season began on February 2, seven days earlier than usual, 

 and it was noticed that more fish used gravel for their nests than 

 ever before. As the winter was mild the young fish grew rapidly and 

 were large enough to be distributed by April 1, but the work had to 

 be deferred until May on account of the freshet. As heretofore, the 

 young bass were transferred from brood-ponds to rearing-ponds when 

 from 1 to 1^ inches in length, the seine used for the purpose being of 

 bobinet, 40 feet long, 5 feet deep, supplied with the usual float and 

 lead lines. As many as 2,500 were moved at one haul of the seine. 



The method of feeding is the same as in the past, chopped flsh 

 and crawfish being used to a great extent, in addition to live food. 

 The distribution was commenced as soon after the subsiding of the 

 water as possible, and resulted in the shipment of 110,455 bass, 5,690 

 rock bass, 3,195 crappie, and 300 bream, to applicants in Texas. 



The calico bass, rock bass, crappie, and bream spawned as usual in 



