XIX.-REPORT Ox\ THE PROPAGATION OF THE SHAD (ALOSA 

 SAPIDISSIMA) AND ITS INTRODUCTION INTO NEW WATEitS 

 BY THE U. S. FISH COMMISSIONER IN 1873. 



By James W. Milner. 



1. — SHAD-HATCHING AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. 



lu the progress of fish culture there has probably been no more difficult 

 problem carried forward to a certain and successful conclusion in a sliort 

 space of time than the propagation of shad, nor has the propagation of 

 any species afforded more efficient results io the attempt to increase the 

 numbers of the food-fishes. 



2, — PLAN OF OPERATIONS. 



The plan of the work of shad-hatching, under the appropriation for 

 that purpose, as established by Professor Baird, was to begin as far 

 south as the Savannah River, early in the season, and visit the rivers 

 northward as the season advanced, it being a well known fact that the 

 shad enter rivers in succession to the northward, at intervals of a few 

 "weeks, for the purpose of spawning. The Savannah Eiver, of Georgia, and 

 the l^Teuse and Roanoke Rivers, of North Carolina, on the representation 

 of Dr. H. C. Yarrow, who investigated the southern streams, were se- 

 lected, and the locations of the hatching-stations determined, with refer- 

 ence to the supply of fish obtained at the fisheries, and the facilities 

 for transferring the young shad by rail to waters destitute of this species 

 of fish. The intention of the work was not only to multiply numbers 

 in the streams where the spawning fish were taken, but to stock other 

 waters with this valuable fish where they had been exterminated or 

 where they had never existed. The Potomac and Delaware Rivers, the 

 Susquehanna and the Rappahannock Rivers, were kept in view as favor- 

 able streams for shad-hatching, with possibly one or two rivers still far- 

 ther north late in the season, from which contributions could be made 

 to the waters of the Mississippi Valley and the great lakes. 



It was determined by the commissioner to obtain if possible the ser- 

 vices of Seth Green, and arrangements were made with liim for that i)ur- 

 pose to afford to the commission his own aid and as many of his trained 

 experts as could be spared for the season. 



3. — OPERATIONS ON THE SAVANNAH, NEUSE, AND ROANOKE RIVERS. 



On the 17th of April Seth Green, with a partj^ of four, his son, Mr. 

 Holton, Mr. Welsher, and Mr. Mason, all having had ample experience 



