REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 95 



of the troughs used. After being placed in the troughs they are cov- 

 ered to exclude the light. On the first, second, and third days the 

 dead eggs are picked off, after which they are not uncovered for at 

 least 30 days, provided the water is clear. At the expiration of this 

 period they are placed in water-buckets and a strong current of water 

 turned on, which causes all of the unimpregnated eggs to turn white, 

 while it does not injure the good ones. After the dead eggs have 

 been removed the remainder are returned to the baskets. 



The first eggs were secured September 11 and the last on October 

 10. During this period 10,385,000 were collected from 2,148 females, 

 making an average of 4,835 per fish; 1,042,125 were lost in incuba- 

 tion; 250,000 were shipped to New Zealand, and 2,436,000 transferred 

 to Clackamas. The eggs retained at the station hatched in November 

 and the fry were liberated in December and January, as soon as the 

 sac was absorbed, in the Little White Salmon, Dog Creek, and the 

 Columbia River, the total loss being only 30,820 during the fry stage. 

 In all 6,626,947 were planted in the streams referred to. 



Several experimental forms of hatching and rearing apparatus were 

 tried during the season, but proved unsatisfactory. It is believed, 

 however, that the present forms can be materially improved upon. 



Eggs of the blueback salmon were impregnated with milt of the 

 quinnat and, contrary to theory, hatched nicely, the fry resulting 

 being strong and healthy. Eggs of the humpback salmon were also 

 fertilized with milt of the quinnat, giving as good results. 



As the result of a number of experiments the conclusion was reached 

 that an average of 825 eggs remain in a salmon after it has been 

 stripped by the usual operation, and of these 48 per cent might be 

 impregnated, or 400 eggs per fish; and, consequently, had all the eggs 

 been removed through an incision made in the abdomen 859,000 more 

 fry could have been hatched. The experiments seemed to demon- 

 strate that where the eggs are removed through an incision and fer- 

 tilized immediately before the blood is removed the loss would be 

 about 3 per cent, whereas if the blood is quickly rinsed off before 

 the milt is applied the loss is very heavy, sometimes averaging 99 per 

 cent. Of the eggs remaining after the fish has been stripped by the 

 usual method, only 48 per cent could be fertilized when they were 

 removed through an incison. 



On one salmon weighing about 40 pounds a lump as large as a man's 

 head was observed immediately under the dorsal fin. The lump was 

 found to consist partly of a gristly growth resembling a tumor and 

 partly of a gelatinous substance, the former being of a light color and 

 the latter of about the same shade as the fish. The eggs from this 

 fish were good, and the lump had apparently not interfered at all with 

 its locomotion. A male was also observed with all the characteristics 

 of a female. Another fish with jaws crossed in such a way as to 

 resemble a pair of shears was noted. The bones seemed not to have 

 been broken. 



