402 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



freshets in the river, caused by the early rains and the melting- of snow 

 and ice, so that the work was not satisfactorily completed until the 

 23d of the month. Mr. Piepmeyer, commanding the vessel, reported 

 to the Commissioner, and received orders to proceed to Havre de 

 Grace, coal ship, and leave for Washington. On the 24th the steamer 

 left the station for the coal wharf, and on the 25th passed again on the 

 way to Washington. 



On the 2d of April, under orders from the Commissioner, Launch No. 

 08 left Battery Station for the Potomac River to assist in the shad 

 work at that point. Launch No. 82 was ordered to accompany her as 

 Jar as fresh water in the Potomac, because of the inability of No. 68 to 

 travel in salt water after the supply of fresh water for her boilers had 

 become exhausted, while No. 82 is furnished with a keel condenser. 

 The trip was successfully made, and Launch No. 82 returned to this 

 station on April 13. t 



During the first two weeks of April the force was daily increased un- 

 til by the 16th the entire gang for fishing the seine was complete. 

 The weather still continued cold and stormy, and interfered much with 

 the success of the season's work. 



On the 16th of April the first haul of the seine was made, and it was 

 thereafter worked regularly and thoroughly until the 27th of May, 

 when the force was discharged, and fishing operations ceased. In the 

 period during which the seine was worked, 109 hauls were made, 50 ebb 

 aud 59 flood. The total catch of shad for the season was 3,512 ; only 

 167,125 herring were hauled, as there was no market for fresh fish, aud 

 the commission was not prepared to salt. 



The catch of shad was far below that anticipated at the beginning 

 of the season, but the cause is attributable to many unavoidable cir- 

 cumstances. The backward season, continual storms, muddy water in 

 the river, and principally the condition of the apron upon which the 

 seine was landed, all contributed to make the season as non-productive 

 as it proved. 



Much trouble was experienced with this apron last year, and one of 

 the first moves the present season was an examination as far as prac- 

 1 icable into its condition. It was discovered that a large portion of the 

 apron was off the bottom, which would afford an easy avenue of escape 

 tor the fish on the landing of the seine, and efforts to remedy this were 

 made by piling dirt and gravel along the edge of the apron to force the 

 sill down level with the bottom, or to fill up the open space referred to. 

 After this was done an examination showed that the apron was much 

 improved, though by no means satisfactory. However, as the season 

 w -as upon us we had to do the best possible under the circumstances. 

 Later on will be submitted recommendations with reference to this 

 matter. 



The herring came on in the greatest abundance this year, constantly 



