BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES 1-TSll commission. :;S7 



ent of Battery Station. At 11.30 a. m. cast off from wharf at Battery 

 Station and proceeded to Havre de Grace, Md. Arrived and made fast 

 to Hille's wharf and took on board five tons of coal. At 1 p. m. Asst. 

 Com. T. B. Ferguson came on board, and at 3 we east off and steamed 

 down to Battery Station with a lighter in tow. Arrived at I p. m, 

 Assistant Commissioner Ferguson went on shore. At 4.20 casl off 

 from Battery Station and steamed over to North East River. Ticked 

 up two spawn-takers, who had gone over to Carpenter's Point fish- 

 ery during the day, having procured 212,000 shad eggs, and ;it 5.45 

 came to anchor off Ball Mountain. Sent spawn-takers to lend gill- 

 boats. Furnished John C. Ford, giller and an experienced spawn- 

 taker, with pans, &c, and was authorized by Assistant Commissioner 

 Ferguson to pay him at the rate of $20 per 1,000,000 for all good im- 

 pregnated shad eggs. At midnight spawn-takers returned, having 

 failed to obtain any spawn. John C. Ford delivered 110,000, making 

 322,000 procured during the day. 



Sunday, May 17. — At 5 a. m. steamed over to Battery Station and 

 transferred 322,000 shad eggs to superintendent of Battery Station. 

 At 7.45 a. m. Assistant Commissioner Ferguson came on board with two 

 expert spawn-takers. Cast off from wharf: steamed up Elk River and 

 through the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal. At noon locked out at 

 Delaware City, and proceeded up the Delaware Biver. Visited How- 

 ell's fishery at Gloucester Point, Xew Jersey. Landed Assistant Com- 

 missioner Ferguson at Philadelphia. At 4.30 p. m. returned to Glouces • 

 ter Poiut, ISTew Jersey, and came to anchor to be ready to tend the 

 hauls in the morning, and make an examination of the fishing shores 

 between Philadelphia and Chester, for the purpose of establishing a 

 hatching station. Shad eggs procured on the 13th from the Chesa- 

 peake began to hatch out this morning. 



Monday, May 18. — At 5 a. m. sent spawn- takers to tend hanks at 

 Rice's and Howell's fisheries. Catch of fish very large, but no ripe fish 

 to be found. At 4 p. m. left two spawu-takers at Howell's fishery ; 

 steamed down the river and anchored near Fannce's fishing shore, and 

 sent spawn-takers to tend the sundown hauls. At G.30 p. m. spawn- 

 takers returned with 878,000 shad eggs from Fannce's fishery and 

 263,000 from Howell's, making a total of 1,14(3,000. From information 

 received from the fishermen and from onr own observation 1 concluded 

 that in a few days a great many ripe fish would be found. The spawning 

 season had just commenced in this vicinity, and large numbers of shad 

 were being captured. The assistant commissioner, to arouse interest 

 among the fishermen, directed me to pay at the rate of $10 per 1,000,000 

 for good eggs, and his instructions were carried out. At sundown depos- 

 ited in the river opposite Faunce's fishery 100,000 shad fry, hatched <>ut 

 from eggs procured on the Chesapeake. At 7.50 p. m. steamed up to 

 Philadelphia, lauded the assistant commissioner, returned to Gloucester 

 Point, and at 11.30 and came to anchor. 



