XII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



men, many of them specialists in marine zoology, and others haviug a 

 general interest in the objects of the Commission. Daring the season 

 the Blue Light was continuously occupied on her trips, losing but little 

 time for repairs or other purposes. The principal points visited by her, 

 in addition to the waters adjacent to Noank, were Block Island, Gardi- 

 ner's and Peconic Bay, Montauk Point, the mouth of the Connecticut, 

 &c, a range of from thirty to forty miles from the starting-point. 



Noank possesses special advantages for fishery inquiries, the inhab- 

 itants being engaged almost entirely in fishing, and a large number of 

 smacks being owned at that place, some of which are employed in fishing 

 off the Florida coast during the winter ; but which in summer are all oc- 

 cupied in the vicinity, or in trips to the outer banks. Every day numer- 

 ous cargoes of fish which were brought in for shipment to New York and 

 elsewhere, furnished the means of studying the species in their varying 

 condition of age and season. A full series was obtained for the collections 

 of the Commission, either for photographing or modeling in plaster. 



Experiments were made toward the end of July, by Mr. Fred Mather, 

 in regard to the possibility of the artificial propagation of sea-bass 

 {Centroprisies atrarius), and a considerable number of eggs were success- 

 fully impregnated and placed in hatching-boxes. Unfortunately, how- 

 ever, it was found impossible without more extensive precautions than 

 we were prepared to adopt to properly protect the boxes against the 

 weather, and a severe storm at the end of July emptied the boxes 

 and ended the experiment. The experiment, however, will be again 

 tried, as it is believed that the process of artificial propagation is as 

 available for the reproduction of many of the sea-fishes as for those of 

 fresh water. Among these may be especially mentioned the sea-bass, 

 the tautog, the striped bass, the scup, &c. 



On the 22d of July, I visited the Holyoke shad-hatchiug station of 

 the Commission, in charge of Mr. Milner, and found great activity pre- 

 vailing, and a very successful effort in connection with the distribution 

 of the fish. 



On the 15th of August, Mr. Milner reached JSToank, accompanied by 

 Mr. Griswold, one of his assistants, for the purpose of testing the effect 

 of the introduction of young shad into salt water, the details of which 

 experiment will be found under the subject of " shad," and also in Mr. 

 Milner's special report on the subject. It may, however, be here stated 

 in general terms, that in adding salt water to the fresh in which the 

 fish were kept, it was found that up to a certain percentage the fish 

 were about as vigorous as in entirely fresh water, although a sudden 

 transfer from fresh to salt water resulted in their speedy death. 



With a view of ascertaining the length of time during which shad 

 could be carried safely from one point to another, it was determined to 

 try the experiment of forwarding a number of young fish to Europe, 

 this answering the purpose of a test of the possibilities in the case. If 

 the experiment met with success, the favor of the German government 



