branch stations in Alaska and the Pacific Coast States, from which 
148 million young fish and 40 million partly developed eggs were 
sent out in the year ended June 30, 1913. In addition, Oregon, Wash¬ 
ington, and California have each a number of hatcheries. The work 
during the current year at the Federal stations will be augmented, 
and a larger proportion of the fish will be reared and planted when 
they are older and better able to escape the many perils which beset 
the fry. 
Fish culture does better that which nature does imperfectly. The 
ripe, or breeding, females are taken at or near the spawning grounds, 
killed, cut open, and the eggs extracted and mixed with milt from 
the males. Thus few ripe eggs fail of fertilization, while in nature 
many do. The fertilized eggs are spread in shallow screen trays or 
baskets and placed in troughs through which flows an abundant 
supply of cold, pure water. Development proceeds by gradual steps, 
but the first noticeable change observable as they lie in the troughs 
is when the eyes appear as a pair of small, but conspicuous, black 
spots. At this state the eggs are least susceptible to injury from 
handling, and if they have to be transported from one hatchery to 
another this time is usually selected for their shipment. Later the 
head, body, and tail become distinguishable through the transpar¬ 
ent shell of the egg, and just before hatching the little embryo may 
be seen wriggling violently, as if struggling to break the walls in 
which it is imprisoned. On hatching, the fish drop through the 
oblong meshes of the tray, while their still unhatched brethren re¬ 
main, and the empty egg shells are carried off in the current. The 
young fish are either planted as soon as the remains of the egg 
yolk are absorbed, or they are held in ponds or tanks and fed on 
chopped liver, heart, or meat, often mixed into a mush with bran 
or meal. Rearing the fish is expensive, but it carries to a later 
period in the life of the fish the cate and protection against their 
natural enemies, which constitute the chief advantage of fish culture 
over natural spawning. 
The United States Bureau of Fisheries has practically finished its 
collection of Pacific coast salmon eggs for the current year, and the 
“clean-up ” indicates that 180 million little salmon will be the output. 
BRIEF STORY OF THE PACIFIC SALMONS. 
Sooner or later after hatching the young fish drop down the streams 
from the spawning grounds (or from the point where planted if they 
are hatchery fish), to the sea, where they spend their lives until they 
are mature. This is a period of two to four or more years, according 
to species. Then the spawning instinct drives them back to fresh 
water and their spawning grounds in the headwaters of the streams. 
