136 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



them in an ordinary pint jar, filled with water from the pond. In search- 

 ing for the eggs, I found them adhering to the stems of water-rice, and 

 water-weed {AnacJiaris), chiefly to the latter. The jar containing them 

 was placed in a position where it would be shaded at midday, but have 

 the sun mornings and evenings. On the fourth morning I examined 

 the jar, and to my surprise found several of the little fish already hatched, 

 seemingly active and vigorous. 



A few days after, while the fish were in the act of s^wning, I pro- 

 cured eleven eggs and placed- them in the same jar. These were taken 

 from a different portion of the pond, and were found adhering to the 

 hornwort {CeratojyJiyllum). The jar containing the eggs was nearly 

 filled with water, and put in the pond, so placed that the surrounding 

 water came nearly to the top. I examined it twice a day. In fifty-seven 

 hours the outlines of the head became visible; the eyes and fins also 

 could be distinctly seen. On the morning of the fourth day, or ninety- 

 six hours after the eggs had been cast, the little fish had made their 

 appearance, and showed much vigor in their movements. Tliree days 

 later I, emptied the jar, and found four fish as the product of the eleven 

 eggs. Only about 3G per cent of the eggs had hatched. Probablj" the 

 rest had not been fertilized. Considering the haphazard manner in 

 which fertilization takes place, it would not be strange if many of the 

 eggs were not reached by the milt. On tlie second day one of the eggs 

 became surrounded by a kind of fungous growth, it evidently having 

 not been fertilized, and very soon decay set in. A fortunate snail dis- 

 covered it, and was not long in making a meal of it. [John ET. Brakeley, 

 Bordeutown, K J., April C, 1S8G.] 



Food of carp. — Dr. P. Brocchi says, in an article reprinted in the 

 French Monitciir dc la Pisciculture for January 30, ISSG, that as carp 

 are vegetable-caters, one should not dream of feeding them on beef's 

 blood, the offal of slaughter-houses, or even on cooked and finely hashed 

 meat. 



Eels. — In regard to eels. Dr. Brocchi says, in the same place, that 

 they are essentially carnivorous, and that owing to their form and mus- 

 cular strength they can penetrate into fissures and slight cracks, and 

 to some extent into the banks of a pond, but that they thus do no serious 

 damage. Tokee[)them in a jiond he suggests putting along its edges 

 a wide strip of fine sand, but says that they are not likely to wander 

 njuch if they find sufQcient food in the poiul. 



Shad appearance. — The shad have again made their appearance off 

 North Trnro, Mass. About 20 were received to-day. [E. G. Blackford, 

 October 22, 18S5.] 



Appearance of menhaden. — The first appearance of menhaden 

 coming to my notice was on the 5th of April. They were taken in a 

 net by a fislicrinau in the bay npon which this station is located, about 

 25 miles from Chincoteague Inlet; [Adelbert Soper, keeper of North 

 Reach life-saving station, Berlin, IMd.] 



