434 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



We arrived at Castleton, !N". Y., ten miles below Albany, on the after- 

 noon of the 13th. The shad-hatching station of the New York commis- 

 sioners is situated on the Hudson Eiver nearly opposite this place, a 

 few miles above Coeyman's Landing. Taking a boat, we crossed to 

 Camp Green, and met a hearty reception from Mr. Monroe A. Green, 

 to whose eflicient management the responsibilities of this successful 

 establishment are delegated by the superintendent, Seth Green. 



The force to whom continual employment is afitbrded during the shad 

 season is six or seven men at the fishery and five to seven men in the 

 direct work of the hatching-station. 



There were one hundred and twenty-two boxes, containing about two 

 millions of eggs and young shad, anchored in a quiet channel of the 

 river between an island and the west shore. Four boxes of young eels, 

 {Anguilla hostoniensis,) of about 4 inches length, gathered from the river, 

 were retained for transfer to distant waters, a large number having 

 been provided the unfortunate California aquarium car. 



They were at present obtaining from five to twenty spawners per day, 

 and had taken the first spawner of the season the 25th of May, though 

 they had been on the ground several days. The water on the 25th had 

 a temperature of 50°; on to-day it was 78°. . 



Questioning Mr. Green for some exact data for results from his own 

 personal knowledge in the improvement in the numbers of shad in the 

 river, the following facts were developed: The first year spawners were 

 scarce, and even fewer the succeeding years until the fourth year, when 

 tliey began to feel the benefit of their own work in the marked increase 

 of fisli, and the spawners their special desideratum. Double the num- 

 ber of hatching-boxes were required for the accommodation of the in- 

 creased quantity of ova. He remarked that, taking tlie standard now 

 used in estimating the number of eggs, the correct estimate of the num- 

 ber hatched the first year would be about 7,000,000. 



11. — JOURNAL OF A TRIP WITH SHAD AND EELS TO CALUMET RIVER, 



ILLINOIS. 



At 6 p. m. the same evening the young fish were put ihto the cans ; 

 six fifty-quart cans, containing 70,000 shad, and one can containing 

 4,000 eels, with a reserve can for fresh water, were put into a boat and car- 

 ried across to Castleton, to be shipped upon a train passing at 9.12 p. m. 



On arriving at the east bank of the river the cans of fish remained 

 at the water's edge until about half an hour before the train arrived, 

 when one pailful, 12 quarts, of fresh water was aflbrded each can ; the 

 temperature of the river-water being 75°, and the air rather cooler. 



The point determined upon for this first "planting" of shad in the 

 Great Lakes was the Calumet lliver of Illinois, at South Chicago, on 

 the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Kailway. 



The cans were put into the baggage-car of the passenger- train, Mr. 

 Mason remaining with them until their arrival in Albany, at 9.40 p. m., 



