90 



REPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The total of fry lost during the season was 36,280. 

 The following is a summary of fishing operations: 



Month. 



Seine 

 hauls. 



Trap 

 hauls. 



Males 

 taken. 



Females 

 taken. 



Total 

 taken. 



Ripe 

 females 



im- 

 pounded. 



Ripe 

 females 

 stripped. 



Percent- 

 age of 



females 

 ripe. 



Ripe 



males 



stripped. 



1899, 

 Augrust 



87 



266 



10 



11 



3 



35 



4 



4 



3,692 



4,425 



45 



58 



6,474 



7,736 

 42 

 59 



10,166 



12, 161 



87 



117 



224 



1,142 



13 



21 



208 



1,064 



13 



21 



3^ 

 14 

 31 

 35 



133 



September 



October 



886 

 11 



November 



15 



Total 



374 



36 



8,220 



14,311 



22,531 



1,400 



1,306 





1,045 









Battle Creek, California (G. H. Lambson, Superintendent). 



The station remained in charge of a watchman until September 10, 

 when work was regularly installed by the superintendent, Mr. W. B. 

 Hunt, an employee of the California Commission, being put in charge 

 of the hatchery and Mr. A. P. Smiley in charge of work on racks, 

 ditches, etc. The main rack was commenced at once and was com- 

 pleted so that no salmon could ascend the stream by September 15, 

 when the energies of the men were directed to completing racks 2 and 

 3, clearing the seining-grounds between the racks, cleaning out the 

 water-supply ditch, and placing the hatchery apparatus in condition 

 for work. 



On October 1, when the first salmon appeared, the water in the Sac- 

 ramento River was so low that very few fish entered Battle Creek. 

 On October 11 a heavy rainfall raised the creek and brought down a 

 large amount of trash, but only a few salmon were brought up bj^ the 

 rise. Rains continued, and on October 19 racks 2 and 3 had been 

 damaged. No. 3 being partially carried away, but the main rack was 

 uninjured. On October 26 the first haul of the seine was made and 

 about 60 fish secured. Of the 18 females included in this catch only 

 1 was ripe. 



Regular seining commenced on October 28 with a crew of -7 men, 

 and continued to November 18, on which date only 24 fish were 

 secured in 6 hauls of the seine. This season the seine was hauled at 

 intervals of 40 to 60 minutes for about 10 hours during the day, 

 though in previous years when fish were plentiful it has been cus- 

 tomary to employ two crews and keep the seine going continuously 

 night and day. When working at night two locomotive headlights 

 are used to illuminate the grounds, and fires are maintained on the 

 banks for the comfort of the workmen. 



The season proved a total failure. Only 3,258 fish were captured, 

 and of these 255 yielded 1,420,500 eggs, an average of 4,984 per fish. 

 The usual methods were employed in taking eggs.' All eggs were 

 transferred to the hatchery, where they were eyed, 1,224,000 being 

 shipped to Baird and 20,000 to France. 



On December 18 the remaining temporary employees were dis- 

 charged and the regular men transferred to Baird, the property being 



