BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 225 



Vol. IV, ]¥o. 15. IVa^hington, D. C. July SO, 1 884. 



133.— REPORT rPOiV THE PROPAGATION OF STRIPED BASS Al' 

 WELiDOJV, IV. C, IIV TME SPRIIVO OF 18S4. 



By S. O. il'ORTII. 



Haviug coini)letecl a successful season of work iu the propagation of 

 striped bass at Weldon, K. C, aud as agreed upon viith the United 

 States Fish Commissioner in April last, I beg to report the following 

 results: 



On April 1, 1884, I sent Mr. C. M. McDowell to take charge of the 

 station, and supplied him with such help as he needed, at first with 

 three men and subsequently with four others, as necessity required. At 

 the time of his arrival the river was somewhat full aud very muddy, as 

 it is on all occasions after rains on headwaters. Ko rockfish had been 

 caught at the time of his arrival, and, indeed, no other fish had been 

 caught except a few shad. I at once put him at work constructing a 

 small hatchery, which he did with the assistance of three employes with 

 a cash outhiy of $35. The buildiug was small, being 10 by 16 feet, but 

 well equipped with McDonald jars to the number of fifty or more. Tiie 

 water supply was drawn from the flume of the mills of Mr. T. L. Emry, 

 of Weldon. 



Hy April 10 a few striped bass were taken, but they were small. The 

 height of the run of fish occurred between April 20 and May 1. IS^o 

 ripe fish were seen until April 10, when the river temperature was 

 58°. The weight of the fish taken on this date was 19 pounds. The 

 last ripe striped bass was taken May 17, when the temperature of the 

 water was 70° to 72°. From the above statement it would appear that 

 the season for hatching strii^ed bass at Weldon would occur between 

 April 10 aud May 20. 



The first fish from which eggs were taken was caught May 2; the 

 roe was in good condition, the weight of the fish being 15 pounds. Upon 

 examination it was found that the roe was two-thirds spent, but the eggs 

 taken and impregnated numbered 200,000, the quantity being estimated 

 on the basis of 20,000 ])er liquid quart (impregnated eggs). These eggs 

 were placed upon trays, the hatching jars not being in position for work, 

 but only 50 per cent were found to be good ten hours afterwards, owing 

 to the exceedingly filthy water which at that time was not filtered. 



The second fish taken was found May 2, at 7 p. m., weight 42 pounds 

 after being strii)ped of its eggs. The ovaries were about full, but some 

 of the eggs could not be taken from the fish and were left behind. Of 

 those taken the estimate as above shows 1,150,000. As stated above 

 the hatchery was not ready for the reception of these eggs and all were 

 put into the river in an impregnated state excej^t 50,000 which were 

 Bull. U. S. F. C, 84 15 



