XIX -OK THE TRANSPORTATION OF SHAD FOR LONG DISTANCES. 



-EXPERIMENTS WITH A VIEW TO TRANSPORTING SHAD 



IN SEA- WATER.* 



By James W. Milner. 



In order to discover the best methods for transporting shad by sea- 

 going steamers, a series of experiments was made at Noank, Conn., at 

 the close of the spawning season. 



Twelve glazed earthen-jars, with a capacity of little more than four 

 gallons each, were provided to contain a certain number of shad, and a 

 formula for the treatment of each jar written out. 



The tests thought to be desirable were the endurance of young shad 

 in sea- water, in mixtures of fresh water and sea- water, and in fresh water 

 at different temperatures, and with fresh supplies at varying prolonged 

 intervals. 



The young fish used were the very last of the season's hatchings. 

 The fish began to make their appearance freed from the eggs on the 

 morning of the 14th of August. Early on the morning of the 15th, about 

 45,000 were put into five cans. Tbe train left Holyoke, Mass., at 0.23 

 a. m. The water on the fish was 71°. Fresh- water supplies were given 

 them at 7.30, at 9.30, and 11.30 a. m., and at 1.30, at 3.30, and 6 p. m. 



On arriving at Noank, Conn., on Fisher's Island Sound, a small building 

 was fitted with shelves, at a convenient height, and the twelve jars were 

 arranged on two sides of the room. Jars Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 were to be 

 devoted to experiments with definite mixtures of fresh and sea-water, 

 the latter gradually increased ; Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8 to experiments on 

 temperature ; Nos. 9 and 10 to experiments as to the effect of ordinary 

 changes of temperature ; No. 11 to pure sea- water; and No. 12 to sur- 

 face-water from the bay at low ebb of tide, in which was a mingling of 

 the fresh water from the drainage of the land. 



At 9 p. m. the series of experiments was begun, the jars having been 

 supplied with a rather full quantity of fishes; by estimate, in accordance 

 with our usual judgment from their thickness in the water, about 4,000 to 

 each jar, Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10 having somewhat less. The temperature of the 

 water in the jars was 70°. It required about one-half hour to apply the 



" Having been called away from these experiments soon after inaugurating them, I 

 have to thank Mr. C. D. Griswold, Commander L. A. Beardslee, United States Navy, and 

 Mr. G. Brown Goode, for their interest in carrying them through to their results. — J. W. 

 Milner. 



