REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 87 



the fish are stripped the females are knocked on the head and given to 

 the Indians for winter stores, though a few were put up by the white 

 residents during the past season. The males are returned to the river 

 unless there is a scarcity, when they are retained in the pound to be 

 used again, as one male will frequently furnish milt for several pans 

 of eggs. 



From the summer run 6,228,260 eggs were secured; from the fall 

 run 186,800, a total of 6,415,060. The summer run averaged 4,896 

 per fish; the fall run 5,494. After the eggs are taken to the hatchery 

 they are measured and put in baskets, 40,000 to the basket. As the 

 eggs were much smaller this year than heretofore, it was discovered 

 later in the season that the first 72 baskets filled contained 48,800 

 each. 



As soon as the water is turned on the baskets are covered and the 

 dead eggs are picked out every other day until they reach the criti- 

 cal stage, which is usually the fourth or fifth day at this station. 

 They are then left undisturbed until the day after the closing of the 

 blastopore, which usually occurs about the eleventh or twelfth day. 

 At that time they are uncovered and washed without lifting the bas- 

 kets from the water, which is done by removing the division plates, 

 and after that are picked daily until all dead eggs have been removed. 



When the eggs were from 25 to 28 days old 1,000,000 were shipped 

 to the California Fish Commission station on Eel River, and 1,905,000 

 to the Sisson hatchery. The remainder, with 1,224,000 from Battle 

 Creek, were hatched at the station. Of the eggs taken during the 

 summer run 1,115,000 were lost during incubation and from the fall 

 run 11,880, making a total of 1,126,880, or 17.9 per cent loss on the 

 eggs taken at Baird. Of those transferred from Battle Creek 24,400, 

 or 1.9 per cent, were lost. 



Very unfavorable reports were received from the California Fish 

 Commission as to the condition of the eggs sent to Sisson. The shells 

 seemed to be spotted by a thinning of the membrane, and this was 

 followed later by its rupture and consequent death of the aborted 

 fry. The superintendent, accompanied by Mr. Wallich, the foreman 

 at Baird, examined the eggs at Sisson and found the disease present, 

 though not to so great an extent as had been reported. It is believed 

 by the California Commission that it was due to fungus, but as the 

 eggs at Baird during the season had been exceptionally free from this 

 disease, the superintendent was unable to concur in this opinion. 

 Later Mr. Cloudsley Rutter, of the Division of Scientific Inquiry, was 

 detailed to examine into the trouble, but not arriving at Baird until 

 the affected eggs had hatched and most of the fry had been planted, 

 he was unable to make as thorough investigation as was desired. 

 This is not the first appearance of this disease. It has been observed 

 several years previously, but no systematic study involving an exam- 

 ination of the parent fish, eggs, and fry has ever been made, nor has 

 there been any attempt to cultivate the bacteria and determine its 



