Conservation Commission 357 



TOMCOD 



The eggs of tomcod collected by Foreman Walters in Long 

 Island bays in the winter of 1913-1914 were very unsatisfactory. 

 They could not be fertilized. Mr. Walters filled his jars and 

 emptied over one-half of the eggs in the sewer, then filled them 

 again. 



Tho best eggs were obtained on January 13 from the vicinity 

 of the fish car in which the tomcod were confined. The eggs 

 were skimmed from the sandy bottom by means of a small dipnet 

 made of fine mill net. 



Burbot 



On January 6, 1914, there was received from M. J. Clarke, 

 Game Protector, iSchuyler lake, 'N. Y., a burbot, eighteen and 

 one-half inches long, which was caught through the ice in 

 Canaderaga lake on live bait while fishing for pickerel. 



Lobster 



An inspection of the auxiliary marine hatchery at Montauk, 

 June 15 and 16, showed that the salt water pumping plant was 

 doing excellent work, although it required very careful handling 

 to keep it in shape. The egg bearing lobsters at that time were 

 decreasing in numbers. The first eggs which were placed in jars 

 were obtained May 21. An unusually large lobster taken by 

 G. H. Ross furnished 26 ounces, equalling 158,340 eggs. The 

 average female egg bearing lobster this season measured from 

 12 to 13 inches and yielded about 25,000 eggs. 



The otter trawl catches the largest lobsters — such as are too 

 large to enter the pot. Most of the berried lobsters come from 

 Shagwung Reef and Gardiner's Island. A boat that could go to 

 the Race and Fisher's Island Sound would enable the Commis- 

 sion to treble the output of lobster fry since the gi'eatest num- 

 ber of large lobsters is to be obtained in those places. 



Many permits were issued this season to lobster fishermen in 

 order to enable them to take egg bearing lobsters for delivery to 

 employees of the Commission at Montauk. 



