THH SUCCESSFUL TRANSFERENCE OF BLACK BASS TO 



THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, WITH NOTES ON THE 



TRANSPORTING OF LIVE FISH LONG 



DISTANCES. 



By Alvin Seale. 



(From the flection of Fislierics, Biological Laboratory, lliircnii of Science, 



Uanila, P. I.) 



Ill April, 190';, I was authorized \)\ the Insular (lovemment to secure 

 and bring to the Philippine Islands a shipment of live large-moiithed 

 black bass [^licroptcru.s sahnoidcf (Lacepede)]. One hundred and 

 seventy-five fingerlings, ali\e and in .uood condition, were secured at 

 Folsom, California, upon the i)ayuient of a fee to the (Jalil'ornia State 

 Fish Commission. Permission was secured from the United States 

 Ai-niy Transport Service to ship the fish on the transport Slicnnan, and 

 the success of this enterprise was due largely to the intei'cst of hoili officers 

 and men of that ship. 



A small motor, driven by tlic electric current of the ship, was 

 installed on the mess deck. An iron boiler, capacity •.'(!."! liters, was 

 secured from the transport as an air reservoir, and a •^mall air pump 

 was connected with the boiler. A system of rubber pipes conducted tlie 

 air from the boiler to the bottom of the cans in which the fish A\-ere carried 

 and by working the motor only a short time sufficient air could lie pumped 

 into the reservoir to circulate through each can for four hours, the 

 advantage of the reservoir being to maintain an even [iressure and 

 allow the air to cool. By means of a pipe, cold water could be kept 

 running over the reservoir, which was also arranged so that ice could 

 easily be packed around it.^ The end of each of the rubber pipes leading 



' A system of cold-water coils inside the reservoir would pei'liaps be a better, 

 but more expensive method. 



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