XXXVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the 29th of -Tune fishermen were employed to capture brood fish. Many 

 large ones were secured, but only 24 of them were ripe. These yielded 

 1,646,000 eggs, from which 735,000 fry were hatched and planted in 

 Vineyard Sound. The last eggs were taken on July 9, and the average 

 period of incubation was from two to three days. 



Steamer Fish Hawk (Lieut. Franklin Swift, Commanding). 



With the view of determining the spawning-grounds and season of 

 the shad on the St. Jolms River and other southern streams, the steamer 

 Fish HawTc proceeded to Florida in January to undertake the collection 

 and hatching of shad eggs. Palatka was reached on January 16, and 

 an investigation of the fishing-grounds between tliat point and the 

 headwaters of the St. Johns was at once commenced. It was found 

 that the majority of the shad taken in the upper part of the river were 

 caught in haul seines; from Volusia Bar to Lake Monroe, a distance of 

 50 miles, 30 of them were oi>erated, while above the lake there were only 

 3. The seines were of 3i-inch mesh, 300 yards long, and 40 meshes 

 deep. No ripe shad were caught at Sanford and an examination of 

 those taken indicated that they would not spawn for some time. 



As the water at the mouth of the Ocklawaha Eiver was found to be 

 well adapted for hatching puri^oses, a suitable anchorage was found 

 and the vessel was removed there on January 26. The water in this 

 section of the river was found to be slightly brackish, and it continued 

 so until February 17. This was attributed by the inhabitants to the 

 presence of salt springs in the lakes and river, but it seems more 

 probable that it was caused by the banking up of the sea water at the 

 mouth of the river by easterly gales. Tide gauges were used and regu- 

 lar observations of density and temperature were kept during the time 

 the vessel was stationed at this point. As operations were being con- 

 ducted on a large scale at Volusia Bar, arrangements were made with 

 the fishermen for collecting eggs, and through the courtesy of Capt. 

 W. A. Shaw, commanding the steamer City ofJacl'sonville, free trans- 

 portation was furnished the employees of the Commission engaged in 

 the work. Volusia Bar is situated at the entrance of the St. Johns 

 into Lake George, and is so narrow that a seine can be stretched across" 

 it, thus effectually stopping all fish. The seines are operated from sun- 

 rise to sunset, and as soon as one is laid out and ready to be hauled in 

 another is run out behind it, so that the shad passing up the river have 

 little chance to escape. The catch was large throughout the season, 

 and at times amounted to over 1,000 per day. 



Spawn-takers were stationed at this point and at Welaka on Feb 

 ruary 23 for the purpose of making regular examinations of the fish 

 captured. The ship's nets were also set regularly, but the majority 

 of the fish taken were gizzard shad. On the 3d of March 8,000 eggs 

 were secured at Volusia Bar. They were hatched without loss, the 

 mean temperature of the water during incubation being 73°. The fry 

 were strong and healthy, and exhibited no signs of weakness, as might 

 have been expected from the high temperature of the water. They were 



