XXXVI REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



water having fallen to 35° in January, it was raised and maintained 

 at from 38° to 40° by introducing steam directly into the supply pipes. 



The fry distributed during the month of November were deposited in 

 the harbor, but all those hatching after December 1 were liberated on 

 the spawning-grounds off No Man's Land and Gayhead, part of the 

 plants being made by the steamer Fish RawTc and part by a small sloop 

 chartered for the purpose. 



The following table shows in detail the daily receipts of eggs, number 

 of fry hatched, and period of incubation : 



Flatfish. — Early in February fyke nets were set in Woods Hole Har- 

 bor and Wacpioit Bay, and the hrst ripe fish were ca])tured on the 15th. 

 From that time collections were contiuued daily until the 15th of April, 

 305 ripe females being secured from the seven nets operated. The take 

 of eggs aggregated 84,591,000, or an average of about 277,000 per fish; 

 the yield per fish varied with the size, one female, 3^ pounds in weight, 

 producing 1,162,000. The fish captured in Waquoit Bay were much 

 larger than those from Woods Hole Harbor. The hatching was done, 

 as usual, in the modified McDonald box, the period of incubation vary- 

 ing from 7 to 22 days, according to the temperature of the water. By 

 the close of the season 64,095,000 fry had been hatched and distributed 

 on suitable grounds in Buzzards and Waquoit bays. 



Lobsters. — While engaged in collecting lobsters for shipment to the 

 Pacific Coast during October and November 887,000 eggs were collected 

 and placed in hatching-jars. They did well throughout the winter, but 

 the losses became very heavy about the 1st of April, and as a result 

 only 385,000 fry were hatched from them. The regular spring collec- 

 tions commenced on April 7. The field of operations was enlarged by 

 the employment of an agent at Plymouth, Mass., who purchased Qgg 



