390 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



The attempt to acclimate the shad in the Colorado River of the West, 

 which was begun in 1884, has been continued the present season, dur- 

 ing which 848,000 fry were sent out by car Xo. 2, in charge of George 

 H. H. Moore, and planted in good condition. Should the experiment 

 prove successful, we may expect to see the plant of 1884 reappearing as 

 full-grown, mature fish in the spring of 1887 or 1888. 



The conditions that have determined the selection of the Colorado 

 Kiver of the West for this important experiment in acclimatization and 

 afford reasonable expectation of successful results, are as follows : 



The waters of the Colorado are exceptionally free from alkaline salts. 

 The spring and summer temperature of the waters and other favorable 

 characteristics make it i:)robable that the young shad will find in them a 

 congenial habitat during their sojourn in fresh waters. Great profusion 

 of minute forms of animal life abounds in the waters. Everj' condition 

 would therefore seem to be favorable to the early stages of life of the 

 shad. If, after migrating to salt water, they do not become wanderers, as 

 the shad planted in the Sacramento River have done, there is every 

 probability that the experiment will be successful. 



Since the Colorado River empties into the head of the Gulf of Cali- 

 fornia, which stretches south for 700 miles towards the equator before 

 joining the ocean, it is probable that the high temj^erature of the waters 

 of its more southern j)ortions will serve as a bar, or temperature wall, 

 to prevent the shad from passing southward into the open ocean. 



Should this anticipation be realized, the shad, when mature, must 

 necessarily find their way back to spawning ground in the Colorado and 

 Gila Rivers. 



An unsuccessful attempt was also made the present season to stock 

 with shad the streams of the Seattle region of Washington Territory j 

 900,000 vigorous fry were selected and sent out by car No. 2, in charge 

 of Mr. Moore, one of the most experienced and careful messengers of 

 the Commission. 



The experiment was hazardous, because the number of days required 

 for uuinterrupted transit from Washington to Seattle marks the limit 

 of time within which transportation can be safely effected. A detention 

 of three days eii route, caused by the washing awaj' of bridges, resulted 

 in almost total loss of shipment. Only 50,000 were alive on arrival 

 at Portland, Oreg. These weredeposited in the Willamette River, near 

 that city. 



A table of distribution of young shad, showing 18,871,000 planted 

 during the season of 1885, will be found on pages 384 and 385 of the Fish 

 Commission Bulletin for 1885. That table should be amended as follows : 



Number of shad planted as given iu the table 18, 871, 000 



Planted in Delaware River by steamer Fish Hawk 8,003,000 



Planted in Susquehanna River from Battery Station 5,524,000 



Planted in Delaware River by steamer Lookout 340, 000 



Total 3-2,798,000 



