394 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AKD FISHERIES. 



and never to pour it in hard, with the same object of avoiding a violent 

 disturbance of the water. As our cans were properly made, having 

 been prepared under the direction of Mr. James W. Milner, the very- 

 efficient assistant of Professor Baird, we had no trouble from the motion 

 of the train agitating the water. 



Supply of minute forms of life as food to the fish. — To furnish the fish 

 with constant supplies of water containing minute natural food, is obvi- 

 ously necessary to do after the fish are two or three days old, and the 

 yolk-sac absorbed ; for then they are ready to feed. Nearly all creatures, 

 as is well known, require, with great frequency when first born, supplies 

 of nourishment to replace the waste produced by the vital processes ; 

 but with fish this is particularly true, and especially so with young shad. 



To supply this nourishment is usually not difficult, all but very cold 

 water containing more or less of it. The main precaution to be observed 

 is to take on sufficient reserves of (relatively) warm water when oppor- 

 tunity offers. The warmer the water, other things being equal, the 

 greater is the amount of nutriment in it. We had no particular trouble 

 on our journey on this score. 



Unwholesome water. — To avoid the use of water in the least degree 

 unwholesome is a precaution the necessity for which is apparent. Un- 

 wholesome water will kill any fish even when not confined, and espe- 

 cially so highly-organized a fish as a young shad. And if this is 

 important with fish in their free state, it is obvious how much more so 

 it must be with fish confined by thousands in small cans, where all the 

 conditions, to begin with, are unfavorable to life, and where only a 

 slight addition to the increase of the evils of their situation is sufficient 

 to turn the scale the wrong way and destroy them. 



To guard against unwholesome water in traveling with live shad, 

 various precautions are employed. Passengers and railroad-employes on 

 the train are consulted as to the character of the water ahead. This usu- 

 ally helps somewhat in a great many cases ; though great caution must 

 be exercised in accepting the information so obtained. On arriving at 

 any given water-station, further inquiries are made; and if all accounts 

 agree that the water is lime or alkaline water, or otherwise unsuitable, it 

 is given up; but if nothing is learned against it, it is then tasted, and, 

 if this first tasting is favorable, a supply is taken on board. It is then 

 more carefully and deliberately tasted, and, if traces of lime or alkali are 

 discovered, it is thrown away; if not, a few fish are placed in a tumbler 

 full of it, and their movements watched. If it is very unwholesome, 

 they will show it at once by their actions. If they do not seem uneasy 

 in it, the tumbler may be set aside for an hour or two, and if, at the end 

 of that time, the fish appear to be doing well, it is considered safe to use 

 the water. I may add here that it is surprising how sensitive and 

 accurate one's taste will become after a few days' practice in detecting 

 traces of lime or alkali in the water. The improvement in this respect 

 during the journey in the case of our party astonished us. Our palates 

 seemed to become as quick and positive in their actions as the most sen- 



