REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 103 



gether with the second lot of Menidia, in a filter car rigged with a 

 chain of buckets like the original one. These specimens lived and 

 thrived equally well. No food was given them except on one or two 

 occasions. The data of growth is as follows: 



Mm. Mm. Mm. 



July 23 10.7 



July 27 19.0 



July 30 24.0 



Augusts 31.4 



August 6 37 . 8 



Augusts 41.8 



August 11 41.9 



August 15 . 45.2 



Septembers 59.0 



September 14 62.8 



On August 8 and 10 a number of young bluefish were caught in the 

 seine and were placed in one of the rearing cars which had been pro- 

 vided with coarse window screens of one-fourth inch mesh. When 

 put into the car there were already present in the water several thou- 

 sand young anchovies, about 20 to 25 millimeters in length. These 

 the bluefish ate during the first day. On several occasions a few 

 Menidia and Fundulus were given them to eat. On August 12, they 

 were given as much raw meat as they could eat, and this they de- 

 voured ravenously. They were fed on meat again on August 15, and 

 on Menidia two days later. The average size of these bluefish on 

 August 18, about ten days after they were put into the car, was 140.8 

 millimeters, an average increase of about 10 millimeters. On Septem- 

 ber 1, they were measured again, having been fed meantime on several 

 occasions with Menidia, Fundulus, and other small fishes. The 

 average length on this date, September 1, was 174 millimeters. This 

 measurement and the two which follow were taken from the nose to 

 the end of the fin rays, whereas the previous measurements were 

 taken from the nose to the base of the fin rays. Between September 

 1 and September 8, the specimens were not fed. On September 8 

 they measured 175.1 millimeters, showing an increase during seven 

 days of 1.1 millimeters. 



On September 8 a quantity of live fishes was put into the car to 

 serve as food for the bluefish, and during the next seven days, the 

 bluefish showed an average growth of about 10 millimeters, the average 

 length being 184.3 millimeters. 



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