Conservation Commission. 265 



were obtained April 27, when three ripe females yielded 168,000 

 eggs. The last were taken May 11, at which date four gravid 

 females gave 168,000 eggs. The number of fish caught was 

 2,100, of which 220 were ripe females and 499 ripe males. The 

 total number of eggs secured was 11,046,000. The amount of 

 milt furnished by the males is very small. 



In the nets were secured, also, the following fish: Black bass, 

 193, carp 46, bullheads 1,347, billfish (gars) 55 r pike perch 1, 

 (on May 7) rainbow trout 2, (on May 7.) Nine nets were in use. 



In exchange for brook trout eggs the Commission gave 400,000 

 eyed eggs of maskalonge to the Pennsylvania Commissioner of 

 Fisheries. 



For the Chautauqua hatchery maskalonge are caught in pound 

 nets set in Chautauqua lake as soon as the ice is out. As the fish 

 are very large and strong, it is best to have two men to hold 

 them. The eggs are pressed out into moist pans, and a very lit- 

 tle milt is sufficient to fertilize a great many eggs. The eggs 

 are hatched in glass jars; but as the embryo is too heavy to 

 swim out, the contents of the jars are transferred at the proper 

 time to hatching boxes with a good flow of spring water, or lake 

 water whichever happens to be convenient, and the ends of the 

 boxes are furnished with w T ire screens to permit an easy flow of 

 water through them. ~No attempt is made to rear the fish, as 

 they are among the worst cannibals in existence. As soon as 

 they can swim up freely the fry are planted. The fry stand 

 transportation very well. The percentage of fry from green eggs 

 has never been higher than 75, and it is sometimes as low as 60 

 depending upon water conditions and care in handling. With 

 good lake w T <ater such as the maskalonge frequents naturally we 

 should expect not less than 70 per cent, of the green eggs to de- 

 velop into fish. 



