84 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



these, 119,500 were lost in incubation, 1,625,000 were transferred to 

 Bozeman, and the balance, 1,942,000, were hatched and distributed in 

 the vicinity. The eggs were eyed in white-fish hatching- jars, and were 

 then transferred to troughs and hatched like trout. The shipments, 

 many of which were to distant points, reached their destination in 

 excellent condition. This was attributed chiefly to the use of a new 

 shipping-case, devised at the station the previous winter. The outside 

 of this case is of the usual form, 30 inches square, from 12 to 18 inches 

 deep, and fitted with hinges, hinged hasps, and staples, in order to 

 allow ready access for re-icing en route. An inner case of half -inch 

 stuff, of the same depth as the outer case, but without top or bottom 

 and about 26 inches square, fits into the outer case, the space between 

 the two being packed with dry sphagnum-moss or sawdust. The egg 

 trays are 12 inches square outside and 1^ inches deep, and as it has 

 proven impracticable to place moss over the eggs, the only covering 

 is a piece of mosquito netting on each tray. The stack of trays is 

 placed in the center of the space in the case, which is then filled in 

 with broken ice. On the top of the trays' is a hopper of tlie same size 

 with perpendicular sides filled with ice, which allows ready access to 

 the ice chamber. On the outside is a notice to the express messenger 

 that the contents are perishable and must be re-iced en route. No 

 difficult}^ has so far been experienced in sending eggs to any part of 

 the United States in this form of case. In every instance they have 

 arrived in good condition, with a temperature of 40° or less. 



The black-spotted trout eggs on hand at the first of the year were 

 hatched in July, and the fry resulting from them were distributed in 

 September and October in the States of Montana, Oregon, Idaho, and 

 Washington, the output amounting to 277,000. The season at Henry 

 Lake was about a month in advance of the usual time. The first eggs 

 were taken on April 2, the last on June 5, the total collections being 

 1,441,000. The work at this point was directed by Mr. W. F. Jarvis, 

 and was satisfactory except for the heavy loss of eggs during incuba- 

 tion, which was due to the fact that sufficient help could not be 

 secured to pick out the dead ones. The losses in hatching were 398,500^ 

 During June 923,000 were transferred to Bozeman and 120,000 were 

 hatched and distributed in Henry Lake and vicinity. 



In the summer of 1897 a number of steelhead trout escaped from 

 the ponds into Bridger Creek, which flows through the station grounds, 

 and as a result some 200 steelheads this year entered the waste ditch 

 from the creek and 52,000 eggs were secured from them and hatched 

 with little loss, producing fine healthy fry. The fish fronl which they 

 were taken were scarcely three years old, from 12 to 20 inches long, 

 but were much larger than those of the same age that are confined in 

 ponds at the station and which did not spawn this season. 



The brook-trout fry on hand at the beginning of the year were dis- 

 tributed with the other fingerlings in the fall, having been carried 

 through the summer with comparatively light losses. 



