BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMM] 

 FORT WASHINGTON STATION. 



Immediately after taking charge of the work I made an inspection of 

 the Fort Washington Station, and, after examining its facilities and con- 

 venience for the work, determined upon the erection of an additional 

 building to be appropriated exclusively to holding the eggs in good 

 condition until convenient to ship them. Plans lor a building L6 feel 

 by 22 feel were at ouce prepared, its erection contracted for. and the 

 structure completed and equipped for work in time to receive the firs! 

 oggs taken. 



A steam pump, with a capacity of LOO gallons per minute, drew the 

 water from the river and forced it into a 2,400-gallon tank, from which 

 it was distributed to thirty of the automatic hatching-jars conveniently 

 arranged on tables iu the interior of the building. 



Mr. James Carswell, avIio had so efficiently conducted the work of 

 collecting for the two seasons immediately preceding, was placed in 

 charge of Fort Washington Station, and directed to organize his force 

 and make all necessary arrangements preliminary to occupying the 

 station. 



March 30 the shore was occupied by Mr. Carswell with four men of 

 his force. The others were called in as the emergencies of the work re- 

 quired. The fishing shore was cleaned up, the seine rigged, and every- 

 thing in order for work by April 5. 



There being no prospect of shad in the river, the seine was not regu- 

 larly fished until April 16th; only five shad were taken prior to April 

 20, at which date fifteen were taken, among them one ripe female, fur- 

 nishing 20,000 eggs; the temperature of the river at this date being 52° 

 Fahr. After the 20th the temperature steadily rose, reaching 00° on the 

 24th, when 107,000 shad eggs were obtained from the Fish Commission 

 seine. 



The following extract from Mr. Carswell's report gives a general re- 

 view of the progress of the work: 



"On May 4 the run of shad had greatly increased, and I was avei 

 ing 750,000 eggs per night; but on the 0th and 7th of May the larg< 

 amount for the season was secured, nearly three and one-half millions 

 being taken on those two nights. 



"Up to the 28th of May a fair average was maintained, but from this 

 date there was a gradual decrease, and the last eggs were taken on the 

 6th of June, the total for the season being 22,576,000. 



"The number of sbad taken during the season of 1883 in the Poton 

 River is the smallest for a number of years." 



The aggregate of 22,570,000 shad eggs obtained tor the season was 

 derived as follows: 



From the Fish Commission seine ' • '-' " 



From Greenway fishing shore 



From Moxley's Point fishing shore 



From Ferry Landing fishing shore 2,636,00 



