54 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
remarkably successful. Of the yearling Atlantic salmon 89 per cent were saved, and 
tlie eggs of this species yielded 83 per cent of fish at the time of distribution. Mr. 
Atkins believes that the losses of fish were less in the second year than during their 
first year. The winter losses were small. The rearing troughs, holding about 2,000 
fry, are 8 inches deep, 12§ inches wide, and about 10 feet long. 
Fish disease . — At Craigs Brook station, in May, 1890, while the fish were in the 
yolk stage, they were attacked by a disease previously unknown at Craigs Brook, 
which during May and June destroyed nearly one-third of the entire stock. It first 
appeared among the Atlantic salmon, but it was most fatal to landlocked salmon, 
salbling, and Swiss lake trout. Some lots of fish were not attacked and some were 
exterminated by it. 
Schoodic Salmon ( Salmo solar, landlocked ) . 
At the Schoodic station from 457 females the average number of eggs taken was 
2,100 each. Three small females yielded 2,300 eggs, an average of 767 each. 
Of the 495 males examined, the average weight was 3J pounds, the heaviest 54, the 
lightest If. The average length of males was 19| inches, the longest being 24 and 
the shortest 15J inches. 471 females were weighed and measured, the average weight 
being 3f pounds, the heaviest 6f, the lightest slightly more than 2 pounds. The 
average length was 19J inches, the greatest 24 inches, the shortest 16£. 
During the egg-taking season (October 24 to November 24, 1888) the temperature 
of the river water ranged from 49.5° to 34°. The mean temperature for October was 
52.5° and for November 42.3°. The mean temperature of the river water in December 
was 35.3° and in January 34.5°. This comparatively high temperature hastened the 
development of the eggs, bringing them to the shipping stage unusually early, the 
shipments beginning J anuary 29, 1889, and continuing until February 5. 
At Schoodic station, Maine, the fishing was begun October 25, 1889, and con- 
tinued until November 24, during which time 871 salmon were handled, including 313 
males, 557 females, and 1 of unknown sex. The average yield of 517 females was 
2,350 eggs each. The proportion of males was much larger than last year, and the 
yield of eggs greater. The total weight of eggs was 471 pounds 5 ounces, amounting, 
after deducting losses, to 1,017,000. The largest fish of the season was a male, 
measuring 26 inches and weighing 6 pounds. The heaviest female weighed 5£ pounds 
and measured 23£ inches ; and the longest female measured 24 inches and weighed 5 
pounds 6 ounces. On liberating the fish at the end of the season almost every female 
yielded a few eggs. From them 33 pounds, or about 75,000 eggs, were obtained, which 
hatched as readily as any of the others. 
In the operations of Green Lake station it was found that the first salmon in 1889 
appeared on the night of October 14. Spawning operations began November 4 and 
continued until November 15. The number of male salmon handled was 50, and of 
females 75. The females yielded an average of nearly 4,000 eggs. Mr. Atkins found 
that the males averaged 22.3 inches in length and about 5 pounds in weight; the 
females 25.5 inches in length and 7.8 pounds in weight. Of the females, 69 retained all 
or nearly all of their eggs. The longest and heaviest male measured 31 inches and 
weighed 13^ pounds. The heaviest female was 30 inches long and weighed ll-^- 
pounds. The water was very cold during the winter and the development of the eggs 
slow. 
