XXXIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 

 SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS AND INSPECTION. 



During the month of August the assistant in charge inspected the 

 stations of the Commission in Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Colorado, 

 Missouri, and Illinois. Advantage was taken of the opportunity to 

 confer with the superintendents regarding the conduct of the work and 

 the possibilities of its extension. The general condition of affairs at 

 all of the stations was satisfactory, and discipline, on the whole, was 

 found to be well maintained. The buildings and grounds at most of 

 the stations were in only fair condition, and in order to maintain and 

 render them attractive to the public special appropriations are needed 

 for most of them, as indicated in recommendations submitted with 

 detailed report of inspection. An appropriation for improvements at 

 the Leadville Station is particularly important, as an additional supply 

 of water is needed, and in order to obtain the best results it will be 

 necessary to provide some system for draining the Evergreen Lakes 

 during the fall, so as to handle the brood-fish. The buildings at this 

 station are in excellent condition, but the grounds are overgrown with 

 brush and prairie grass, and as it is quite a popular resort for the 

 residents of Leadville, it should be completed. This could be done at 

 comparatively small expense. The general condition of the station 

 at Neosho, Mo., was worse than any of the others. The ponds were 

 much in need of repair, and the water supply is inadequate. 



In December a preliminary survey of the Edisto Eiver, South Caro- 

 lina, was made to determine as to the practicability of establishing an 

 auxiliary station for the propagation of shad, and as a result the Fish 

 Eawli was detailed in March to visit that stream and undertake the 

 collection of eggs. During April several trips were made to the shad 

 stations on the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers, and in May to the 

 Delaware River, for the purpose of conferring with Mr. W. E. Meehan, 

 of the Pennsylvania Fish Commission, and the commanding officer of 

 the steamer Fish HmvJc, relative to conduct of shad work at the Bristol 

 hatchery in the event of the Fish Haich not being available for work in 

 this vicinity. Visits were also made in May to Massachusetts, to 

 arrange for lobster collections at Gloucester and Woods Hole. 



During the spring of 1898 the superintendent of the Cape Vincent 

 Station investigated the sturgeon fisheries of Lakes Erie and Ontario 

 with the view to taking up the propagation of this species, but no 

 locality was found where spawning fish could be obtained in sufficient 

 numbers to warrant the establishment of an auxiliary station for this 

 purpose. 



CAR AND MESSENGER SERVICE. 



Owing to the necessity for rebuilding cars Nos. 1 and 2 and the 

 large amount of routine work necessitated by the increased output of 

 fish during the fiscal year, this service has been taxed to its utmost 

 capacity, and it was found necessary to hire baggage and express cars 

 from the railroads on several occasions to assist in making the distri- 

 bution in Virginia and Michigan. Besides the routine work, one of the 



