XXX REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES, 



Eailroad will carry them ', and until the northern line, or the coast-line 

 from California to Oregon, is completed, it will hardly be worth while 

 to spend our efforts in that direction. 



In order to have a still greater supply of young shad for the purposes 

 of the commission, an arrangement was made with the Connecticut com- 

 missioners to enlarge their operations at Hadley Falls, the increased 

 expense being borne out of the appropriation made by the United States. 

 This was accordingly done, and Mr. Milner and Mr. Mason were enabled, 

 after the season had closed farther south, to obtain all the young shad 

 they could attend to during the remainder of the season. 



A deposit in the Mattawamkeag, a tributary of the Penobscot, was 

 made at the urgent request of the commissioners of Maine. 



Mr. Milner and Mr. Mason next proceeded to Topsham, Me., on the 

 Androscoggin, with a view of ascertaining whether ripe eggs could be 

 obtainl3d in sufficient number for shad-hatching purposes. They found, 

 however, that, owing to the lateness of the season and the scarcity of 

 the fish themselves, nothing could be done; and it is thought not im- 

 probable that the restoration of shad to the rivers of Maine will be done 

 most easily by transferring the spawn from the Connecticut, or from the 

 Merrimack, should the commissioners of Massachusetts exhibit the same 

 liberality that has been shown by those of Connecticut. Returning from 

 Maine, they proceeded again to the Connecticut and the Hudson, con- 

 tinning their labors in the way of transferring of young fish. Their work 

 finally closed on the 24th day of July. 



An accompanying table gives the statistics of the work actually 

 accomplished in transferring shad to western waters. The aggregate 

 of nearly a million is certainly likely to produce a marked effect; and if 

 similar efforts are made in successive years, which I trnst will be the 

 case-, there is every reason to expect the accomplishment of the object 

 in view. The information in this and other tables, as to the entire num- 

 ber of shad and salmon hatched in the United States to date will not be 

 without interest. 



The accompanying very valuable report by Mr. Milner, (page 419,) 

 gives the details of his operations, and embraces numerous very valua- 

 ble suggestions in regard to the transportation and treatment of shad, 

 which will serve an important purpose in future operations. 



I append reports from Mr. Green, of his labors south of Washington, 

 (p. 406;) from Dr. Slack, upon work on the Delaware, (p. 409;) and from 

 Mr. Stone, (p. 413,) upon his transfers to the Jordan and Sacramento, 



During the present season, as in the past, I have great pleasure in 

 acknowledging the help rendered by raanj^ persons, not only by the State 

 commissioners, (especially those of ]S"ew York and Connecticut,) in sup- 

 plying young fish from States where the United States had no hatching- 

 house, but also by the part of officers of railroad and express companies. 

 Most of these are mentioned hereafter. 



It had been contemplated to carry on hatching-operations on the 

 Rappahannock River, where the shad were believed to be very abun- 



