KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXV 



tendent of the station. With the view to iucreasiug the output, addi- 

 tional live-cars for holding adult cod were constructed and arrangements 

 were made with the commercial fishermen to supply the fish. The 

 Grampus was also detailed during the latter part of September to make 

 collections. The first consignment of cod was delivered at the station 

 on October 3, and by the 4th of November 9,379 fish, averaging 4 

 pounds and more in weight, had been delivered ; 2,910 were furnished by 

 the GntmjjKs and the balance were purchased. They were apparently 

 in first-class condition when received, and no serious losses occurred 

 until the middle of "November, when the death rate became very heavy, 

 as many as 200 dying in 24 hours. This loss was dne to injuries received 

 in capture and transportation from fishing-grounds and to the breaking 

 out of sores, which formed Just under the skin and spread over the 

 entire body. Of the smaller fish, 2,>00 were transferred to a small pool 

 near the residence, many of them being affected as described above, 

 but after remaining in the pool a short time the sores healed and they 

 apparently recovered. 



The collection of eggs commenced ^iTovember 9 and continued until 

 Januarj^ 25, during which time 50,914,000 were secured from 884 spawn- 

 ers. The results attained were very discouraging, as the number of 

 brood fish secured Avas much larger than in past years. During the 

 winter 2,350 of the smaller ones were released, as they gave no evidence 

 of spawning. The experience of this season seems to show that no fish 

 weighing less than 6 pounds should be retained for spawning pur^joses. 

 On January 25 all of the stock on hand, amounting to 1,500, were killed 

 by anchor frost. From the following table it appears that not only a 

 much smaller percentage of the fish purchased this year were spawners, 

 but the yield of eggs per fish was also much smaller than in past years : 



In addition to the eggs collected at the station, 5,606,000 were 

 received from Kittery Point, Me., and 8,047,000 from the fishermen near 

 Duxbury, Mass. It having been decided in January to attempt the 

 collection of eggs at the latter point, the mate of the Grampus, Mr. 

 J. C. Conley, was placed in immediate charge of the work with a small 

 force, and, altlumgli the collection was undertaken at the time of year 

 when the weather is most unfavorable, the results attained were grati- 

 fying, and it seems probable that about 75,000,000 eggs can be obtained 

 from this source next season. Tlie total output of fry from the eggs 

 handled at the station amounted to 35,953,000, the hatching being 

 done, as usual, in the McDonald tidal box. The temperature of the 



