54 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
early spring run is better than the late spring run, and the early fall better than the 
late fall run. The condition of the salmon depends on the length of time he remains 
in fresh water before spawning. Those whose sexual organs are the least developed 
have redder and fatter flesh, and these are the ones which must remain in fresh water 
the longest time before spawning. 
Salmon taking the hook . — Fishermen hold different opinions as to why salmon take 
the hook, some regarding it simply as due to the pugnacious disposition of the fisli. 
others as showing a playful disposition. Both males and females will take the hook. 
The baited hook falling near them or the silvery spoon passing rapidly by no doubt 
produces an involuntary impulse on the part of the flsli to seize it. 
The Siuslaw hatchery . — This hatchery is at Mapleton, Oregon, on the Siuslaw 
River, about 26 miles above its mouth, or 1£ miles below the head of tide water. The 
building is about 300 feet from the river and is supplied with water by gravity from 
a small spring brook, which flows within 200 feet of the building. This supply is 
abundant and of good quality. As there was no rack in the river, flsh for spawning 
purposes could be obtained only at the seiniug-ground near Acme, about 16 miles 
below Mapleton. The method followed was to retain the fish in live-boxes until they 
were ready to spawn. Special boxes were built for this purpose, the fish put in them 
at the seining-ground, then they were floated on the tide up to Mapleton, where they 
were tied until the fish were utilized. 
The first live-box was built September 17. It was made 20 feet long, 10 feet wide, 
and 4£ feet deep. The frame-work was made of 3 by 6 material; to this were nailed 
horizontally 1 by 4 strips, with interspaces of about 2£ inches. The lumber used was 
undressed. This box will hereafter be referred to as Box No. 1. On September 19 
Box No. 2 was built, 16 by 8 by 4£ feet. This box differed from No. 1 only in being 
made out of boards 6 and 8 inches wide instead of 4 inches, and in having the inter- 
spaces narrower. These were not more than 2 inches wide anywhere, and near the 
top of the sides no interspaces were left, the first two or three being placed against 
each other. On September 21 Box No. 3 was built, not differing in any way from Box 
No. 2. On the 1st of October Box No. 4 was built. It was made of dressed lumber 
and was 20 by 6£ by 4£ feet. Care was taken to have this box as smooth inside as pos- 
sible, so that the fish might not become injured in any way on account of contact with 
the box. 
The account of the experiments with each of these boxes is given with considerable 
detail, in order that the nature of the work and the conditions under which it was 
done may be fully understood. On September 18, 43 chinook salmon were placed in 
Box No. 1. They were obtained from the seines and carried in sacks a few feet to a 
small live-box, in which they were floated to No. 1. The next day 48 more salmon were 
placed in this box. On September 21, 47 salmon were placed in No. 2, and the next 
day 22 fish were put into No. 3, to which 6 more were added on the morning of the 
23d. These three boxes, with 91, 47, and 28 fish, respectively, were lashed together 
and were started drifting up the river with the tide. This tide carried them upstream 
about 7f miles, or about ^ mile below McLeod’s wharf. Here the boxes were taken in 
tow by the steamer Lillian and brought to McLeod’s wharf. The next day they were 
drifted to Point Terrace, a distance of about 5f miles, and on the following night they 
were drifted 2£ miles farther to Hartley’s wharf. The next day, the 25th, they were 
drifted If miles farther, which brought them within f mile of Mapleton. They were 
