284 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



from the small brooks in which the species spawns. The eggs- 

 are adhesive and attach themselves to stones, and their trans- 

 portation is accomplished very easily. 



The smelt grows to a length of 1 foot; the average size as 

 found in the markets is about 7 inches. It enters the rivers for 

 the purpose of spawning and is most abundant in the winter 

 and early spring months. Spawning takes place in the Raritan 

 river, N. J., in March. The eggs of the smelt have been arti- 

 ficially hatched by Mr Ricardo, Fred Mather and other fish, 

 culturists. 



The smelt is an excellent food fish and is also used for bait,, 

 and still more extensively as food for landlocked salmon, lake 

 and brook trout and other important salmonoids, which are 

 artificially reared in lakes. It has proved to be one of the best 

 fishes for this purpose. Immense quantities of smelts are 

 caught during the winter months in nets, seines and by hook 

 and line. They are usually shipped to market in the frozen con- 

 dition, packed in snow or crushed ice. The fish which have not 

 been frozen, however, are prized more highly than any others. 



The smelt begins to run into Gravesend bay in December and 

 remains during cold weather. In the spring it ascends rivers to 

 spawn. The eggs are small (- 2 - - inch in diameter) and number 

 496,000 to the fluid quart; they adhere to stones, twigs etc. on 

 the bottom. Some females begin to spawn when only 3 or 4 

 inches long. 



In fish cultural operations k> the spawning fish, of both sexes,. 

 are placed in troughs, which are covered to exclude light, which 

 is very injurious to the eggs. The eggs are naturally laid and 

 fertilized, and become attached to each other and to the troughs. 

 They are scooped up with a flat shovel, placed on wire trays in 

 water, and are forced through the meshes of the trays to sepa- 

 rate them. They are hatched in automatic shad jars, blanketed 

 to exclude light. If during hatching the eggs bunch, they are 

 removed from the jars and again passed through the meshes- 

 of the wire trays." 



The fry are hardy in transportation. 



