REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 99 



that in the tight filter cars many specimens from 2 milHmeters to 8 

 millimeters were found which must have been dipped up by the chain 

 of buckets as eggs or as very small fry, since the fry of 10 millimeters 

 are so quick and wary that they would hardly be caught in this 

 -way. There is no doubt whatever that the young anchovies of all 

 sizes thrive perfectly well in the cars provided with screens, and also 

 in the filter cars, and it is more than probable that the eggs of this 

 species frequently hatched in the cars. 



About 20 anchovies placed in one of the filter cars on July 28, 1908, 

 were doing well at the date of writing (September 19, 1908), and 

 showed a very considerable growth. 



Hatching and rearing fishes. — Near the end of the season for rearing 

 lobsters during the latter part of July, when the pressure of other 

 work was relieved, some of the large cars were reserved for definite 

 experiments to test the practicability of the method and apparatus 

 as applied to the hatching and rearing of fishes. Unfortunately at 

 this time of the year there were comparatively few fishes whose eggs 

 we could obtain, and we were unable, therefore, to exercise much 

 choice in our material. 



On July 17, a quantity of eggs of the "Silverside" (Menidia) were 

 ■obtained, and, after being fertilized, were put into a car with the filter 

 and bucket-chain rigged as already described. A short-bladed 

 paddle was used like that in fig. 14. This was hung about 2 feet 

 from the bottom, the lower bearing being dispensed with. 



The egg masses were teased apart into small clusters and placed on a 

 piece of cloth mosquito netting which was tacked to a piece of soaked 

 wood, so as to form a bag, and suspended in the water. The bag thus 

 formed, was held extended and kept from collapsing by a coiled piece 

 of insulated electric wire on the inside. (Practically the same method 

 has been used very successfully in the hatching of the flatfish, Pseudo- 

 pleuronectes) . The eggs hatched in about ten days with apparently no 

 mortality. The young fishes readily escaped through the netting and 

 seemed to thrive perfectly well in the car, where they were kept until 



