BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 295 



90 REPORT OIV THE SHAD WORK OF THE STEAMER rrOOKOUT 



DIRINO THE SEASOi^r OF 1»$»G. 



By l^Iate JAilIES A. SMITH, U. S. ]V., Commanding:. 



[Abstract.] 



The work iu gatheriug, transferring, and batching the spawn and 

 depositing the fry of shad, performed by the U. S. Fish Commission 

 steamer Lookout during the season of 18S6, covered the time from April 

 27 to May 23, inclusive. The greater part of the eggs obtained came 

 from the Delaware Eiver, but about one-third were gathered at the 

 northern end of Chesapeake Bay aud its inflowing streams. Most of 

 the eggs were transferred to Battery Station or to the Fish Hawk, 

 while some were hatched on board and deposited from the Lookout. 

 During the season 3,000,000 fry were received from Battery Station aud 

 deposited in the tributaries of the Upper Chesapeake. 



The season's work began on April 27 in the mouth of the Susquehanna 

 Eiver, where the floats and gill-boats were visited, but no ripe spawn 

 was obtained. On the 29th received 500,000 shad fry from Battery 

 Station and deposited them in the mouth of !N'orth East River. From 

 the gill-boats iu this vicinity obtained 520,000 eggs, which were trans- 

 ferred the next day to Battery Station. On the 30th left this station, 

 passed through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to the Delaware 

 River, communicated with some of the fishing-shores, and late at night 

 anchored off Gloucester City, K. J., a few miles below Philadeli^hia, 

 which was a convenient point from which to visit many of the most im- 

 portant shad fisheries in the river. 



On May 3 went to Wilmington, Del., for the purpose of having some 

 repairs made, but returned to the spawn-taking work on the river dur- 

 ing the afternoon. On the 5th the Fish Hawk arrived, and the Look- 

 oat received orders to co-operate with her in gathering spawn, in 

 obedience to which, the work was carried on conjointly for several days. 

 On the 8th passed through the canal to Chesapeake Bay, and proceeded 

 to Battery Station. 



On May 10 Commissioner S. F. Baird and Assistant Commissioner 

 T. B. Ferguson came on board at Havre de Grace, apd were taken to 

 Battery Station. All the eggs obtained during the last few days were 

 transferred to the station, and several deposits were made on that and 

 subsequent days in the Susquehanna, l!forth East, and Sassafras Rivers, 

 of fry received from the station. Many of the fishing-shores and gill- 

 ers in this region were visited almost daily, but comparatively small 

 numbers of eggs were taken, as the shad were becoming scarce, and 

 these were duly transferred to the station. On the 15th proceeded to 

 Baltimore. 



