42 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The launch Blue Wmg, which had been ordered from Woods Hole, 

 Mass. , arrived at Washington on March 23 and was taken to Bryan 

 Point the following da}'. Some necessary repairs were made on her 

 stern post and her hull above the water line, and all her house work 

 and decks were thoroughly cleaned and painted, after which she was 

 in good condition for the season's work. 



The station was opened March 24. Sixteen tents were set up and 

 the necessary equipment installed therein for quartering spawn-takers. 

 The hatchery and other buildings were painted with a coat of indurine, 

 and by April 15 all necessary repairs were completed preparatory to 

 active operations in collecting shad eggs. 



Small lots of eggs were taken on April 15, 16, and 17, which were 

 placed in jars, but they died and no record was kept of them. On 

 April ISth 60,000 good eggs were received, and on April 20th 791,000 

 eggs were taken and fishing began in earnest, the entire force of spawn- 

 takers being set to work. The collecting of eggs was pushed vigor- 

 ously with a full force until May 9, when operations were discontinued. 

 The total collection of eggs for the season was 45,971,000, of which 

 2,421,000 were shipped to Central Station, Washington, D. C, and 

 2,007,000 were shipped to the Fish Commission exhibit at Charleston, 

 S. C. Of the 41,543,000 eggs remaining, 84 per cent, or 34,994,000, 

 were hatched at Bryan Point. Of the fry resulting 9,018,000 were 

 delivered to the Fish Commission cars at Alexandria, Va., for distri- 

 bution in southern waters, and 25,976,000 were planted on the prin- 

 cipal spawning-grounds in the Potomac River. 



The following table shows the daily collection of eggs, the number 

 of fr}^ planted, and maximum and minimum water temperatures: 



