BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 17 
VoJ. VII, I¥o. Washington, D. C. May 36, 1887. 
5,-AME RICAN FISH CULTIVATED BY THE NATIONAL FISH CULT- 
URE ASSOCIATION OF ENGLAND. 
By W. OLDHAM CHAMBERS. 
[Abstracted from the Journal of the National Fish Culture Association, London, 
England, April, 1887, p. 137.] 
The collection of fish eggs for the season of 1886-’87 began in October, 
1886, at the establishment of the association at Delaford Park. The fish 
first operated upon were the Salmo fontinalis, hatched at South Kensing- 
ton in 1885 from ova presented by Prof. Spencer F. Baird. Considering 
their age and weight, the latter being about half a pound, the circum- 
stances attending their reproductive capacity are worthy of note. The 
date at which they spawned was unusually early, notwithstanding their 
being confined in ponds for about 18 months. The eggs produced were 
small, and of a lighter yellow color than those from which the parents 
were hatched. The time of incubation occupied about 65 days, during 
which period the death-rate showed a percentage of 15. The fry, on 
emerging from the eggs, were very dark in appearance, and have been 
remarkably strong and active throughout. A few at first were attacked 
with u blue swelling,” but on being placed two or three times in earth 
mixed with water to the consistency of cream and carefully strained, 
they became temporarily relieved, but ultimately succumbed to con- 
gested liver. The fry have been placed in the nursery ponds, where 
they are feeding well and seem to be thriving. 
On January 31, 1887, a consignment of eggs from America was re- 
ceived, consisting of 1,500,000 ova of the whitefish ( Coregonus albus) and 
brook-trout ova [Salmo fontinalis). Nearly all the whitefish eggs were 
found dead on arrival, owing to undue pressure from the trays being 
too large (namely, 18 inches square). The brook-trout eggs, which were 
forwarded in smaller trays, arrived in good condition. On the failure 
of the first consignment being reported, the U. S. Fish Commission sent 
a further shipment of 1,000,000 whitefish eggs; but the second lot was 
received in almost as bad condition as the first, owing to the same cause, 
the temperature of the box being too high, and many thousands of the 
eggs hatching out while on the way. 
With the eggs of the whitefish arrived also 9,000 rainbow- trout eggs 
( Salmo irideus) from America, 1,000 of which had died during transit. 
These eggs are now hatching,* and the fry appear to be strong and vig- 
*A note elsewhere in this journal states that on April 8, 1887, all the rainbow trout 
in the association’s ponds at Delaford were maliciously poisoned, and it will he im- 
possible to replace this loss for some time. 
Bull. U. S. F. C., 87 2 
