XVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



coast abounded in shad and furnished an enormous aggregate of food, 

 sufficient for several months' supply to the inhabitants, and allowing a 

 surplus for shipment, either fresh or salted. Now, however, this condi- 

 tion has become a matter of tradition in regard to nearly every stream 

 south of the Potomac, and nothing but artificial propagation will restore 

 the stock. When, however, we bear in mind that the eggs of a single 

 pair of shad, artificially treated, can be made to produce more young 

 fish than those of two hundred pairs of natural spawners, the impor- 

 tance of the measures adopted by the Commission will be readily appre- 

 ciated. 



4. — THE SHAD. 



The hatching and distribution of shad began rather late in 1874, as 

 the appropriation for the purpose was not available early enough for 

 work in southern rivers. In the last week of June Mr. Milner proceeded 

 with a force of men to the hatching-station of the New York commis- 

 sioners, at Coeymans Landing on the Hudson Eiver, from which point 

 the distribution to western waters was at once begun. Four hundred 

 thousand shad were placed in the tributaries of the Mississippi, in the 

 Brazos and Colorado Bivers of Texas, and the tributaries of the great 

 lakes. On the 3d of July the traveling parties moved to South Hadley 

 Falls, Mass., on the Connecticut Eiver. From this station over two 

 millions of shad were transferred to the tributaries of the Mississippi, of 

 the great lakes, Lake Champlain, and rivers of New England. Five 

 hundred and sixty-five thousand fry were carried above the clam and 

 placed in the Connecticut Eiver, for the most part above Bellows Falls, 

 Vermont. In all, three million and thirty-one thousand young shad 

 were planted in waters of the United States between June 25 and Au- 

 gust 15 of 1874. 



Those in charge of the transfers were very successful in transporting 

 these fishes and in placing them, in a healthy condition, in the waters 

 for which they were destined. 



The generous action of Germany in the gift to the United States, in 

 1873, of 250,000 salmon-eggs prompted an attempt to transport some 

 young shad to Germany, and the North German Lloyd Steamship 

 Company kindly offering free passage for both men and fish to Bremen 

 and back, the experiment was entered upon early in August. On the 

 5th of August Mr. Fred Mather and Mr. A. A. Anderson left by the 

 steamer Donau, captain Neiuaber, with 100,000 shad-embryos, a large 

 and convenient compartment was assigned for them, and the cans were 

 so arranged that the movement of the ship need not affect the shad, while 

 an abundance of Croton water was taken on board for their use. Un- 

 fortunately, after six days the fish showed signs of distress and in ten 

 days they were all dead. 



A detailed account of the trip will be found in Mr. Mather's report. 

 Excepting in this instance every shipment was a complete success. 



Shad-hatching in 1875 was commenced April 1. The first efforts 



