406 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The secouil plant of shad in the waters of California was made in 1873. In June of 
that year, Mr. Livingston Stone, of the United States Fish Commission, had started for 
California in a specially equipped car containing shad fry, together with a large num- 
ber of young fishes of several other species. He had gotten as far as Nebraska, when 
his entire stock was lost and his car destroyed by the collapse of a railroad bridge 
over the Elkhorn River. On hearing of the disaster, the California fish commission 
telegraphed Mr. Stone to return to the Hudson River and secure another lot of shad. 
He obtained 40,000 fry from the New York State hatchery at Castleton, and transported 
them to the Pacific Coast at the expense of the United States Fish Commission. On 
July 2, 1873, 35,000 healthy fry were placed in the Sacramento River, near Tehama. 
All the subsequent plants of shad in California waters were made directly by 
the United States Fish Commission, the place of deposit being the Sacramento River, 
at Tehama. Between 1876 and 1880, inclusive, 574,000 fry were planted, as follows: 
99.000 in 1876, 110,000 in 1877, 150,000 in 1878, and 215,000 in 1880. Since 1880 no 
shad fry have been introduced into the State. 
The total number of young shad planted in the Sacramento River was 619,000 
STOCKING OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN WITH SHAD. 
The first attempt to introduce shad into the waters of the northern part of the 
west coast was made by the United States Fish Commission m 1885, when a consign- 
ment of 900,000 fry, destined for the rivers of Washington tributary to Puget Sound, 
was sent out in a special car. By the washing away of a railroad bridge, so much time 
was expended that nearly the entire consignment was lost, and the original intention 
to go to the Puget Sound region was abandoned. Of the 60,000 fry that survived, 
50.000 were planted in the Willamette River, at Portland, Oreg., and 10,000 in the 
Snake River, near its junction with the Columbia, at Ainsworth, Wash. 
The following year, efforts to stock the Columbia River were continued. To guard 
against loss incident to delays en route, eggs as well as fry were placed on the car, 
which left Havre de Grace, Md., May 9, with 1,000,000 young shad, 200,000 eggs on 
trays, and 385,000 eggs in jars. The eggs on trays were all lost in transit and 50 per 
cent of the fry perished, while of the eggs in jars less than 10 per cent were lost. At 
Albany, Oreg., on the Willamette River, 550,000 fry were planted, and at Wallula 
Junction, Wash., on the Columbia River, 300,000 more deposited. 
The aggregate plants of shad fry in the Columbia basin in 1885 and 1886 were 
910,000. No additional shipments to that region have since been made. 
INTRODUCTION OF SHAD INTO COLORADO RIVER. 
In 1884, 1885, and 1886, relatively large plants of shad were made by the United 
States Fish Commission in the Colorado River with a view to ascertain whether the 
waters of that stream and its tributaries are suitable for the existence and multipli- 
cation of that fish. The reasons for expecting satisfactory results from the stocking 
of this river are thus stated in the report of the Commissioner for 1885: 
(1) The Colorado is free from alkaline salts and of a suitable spring and summer temperature; 
the other physical conditions are also favorable. 
(2) The Colorado empties into the Gulf of California, which extends south for 700 miles before 
reaching the ocean, aud it. is thought that, the warm waters of the lower part of the gulf would be a 
barrier to keep the shad from being lost in the Pacific. The shad then would return to the Colorado 
and Gila to spawn. 
