BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. M 



to 800 pounds each. The boats that went out to their nets this tiiorn- 

 ing caught from 6,000 to 8,000 pounds each, while the night before the 

 same nets in the same place only caught from 300 to 500 pounds. 

 Gloucester, Mass., December 14, 1884. 



15.— THE PEXOBSCOT AIVD SCIIOODIC' 8AE,JTIOIV 1VOKK OF ISS4->85. 



By CHAS. G. ATKINS. 



[From a letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



The eggs taken this year at the Penobscot station will count nearly 

 1,900,000. This is about 600,000 less than last year, though we had a 

 larger number of fish. The explanation is found in two circumstances: 

 First, that the fish were much smaller than last year ; second, that there 

 was a larger proportion of males. I think we can count on having 

 1,750,000 eggs to ship. Your pro rata share will be about 1,050,000. 

 Maine will have 500,000; Massachusetts 200,000. It would be well to 

 have, at any rate, a partial assignment made very soon. We had warmer 

 weather than usual in November, and the eggs are more forward in 

 development. I think Mr. Mather would be glad to receive some early. 



At Grand Lake stream we secured about 1,727,000 eggs. A loss 

 of 10 per cent, will leave 1,554,000, and the 25 per cent, reserve (388,500) 

 will reduce the number available for shipment to 1,165,500. A pro rata 

 division, on the basis of 1,150,000, will give to — 



United States (£f) 598, 000 



Maine (^) 230,000 



Massachusetts {&). . .... '.. 184, 000 



New Hampshire (^) 138,000 



1,150,000 



These eggs are now in our coldest water, and will not be ready for 

 shipment before late in February. I would like to find whether the 

 serious losses that have attended shipments to the South and West 

 cannot be avoided by keeping the eggs in lake water during the entire 

 time of their development at Grand Lake stream, instead of exposing 

 them for a few weeks to spring water as we have heretofore practiced, 

 with a view to hastening their development. 



The fish at Grand Lake stream have been plentier than last year, and 

 the augmentation in size continues. The femnles taken this year aver- 

 aged 3 pounds and 15.7 ounces in weight, the males 4 pounds and .1 

 ounce. In 1875, the males averaged 1.6 pounds, and the females 1.9 

 pounds. There has been a corresponding appreciation in fecundity, 

 the yield being 753 eggs per female in 1875, and 2,228 eggs per female 

 in 1884, a gain of nearly 200 per cent. • 



Bucksport, Me., December 12, 1884. 



