REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



LI 



in the acclimatization pond, No. 20, which has an area of 17,500 square 

 feet. In Pond No. 5, where there was very little vegetation, a close 

 watch was kept, with the view of noting the spawning habits of the 

 fish, but in no instance were they observed to nest, though a few fry 

 appeared in June. The vegetation in Pond No. 20 is very dense, and 

 the results attained were apparently much better, as hundreds of fry 

 an inch in length were observed during the latter part of June. The 

 crappie are so delicate that it is impracticable to handle them during 

 warm weather, and no effort was made to remove the young brood, but 

 the old fish were taken out and placed in a smaller pond. 



Golden ide. — A part of the stock of golden ide was placed in Pond 

 No. 4 and commenced spawning on April 21. The temperature of the 

 water at that time was 51°, but it fell to 11° on the 24th, causing the 

 loss of all the eggs. A few days later 10 specimens which had been set 

 aside for shipment to Nashville spawned, the temperature at the time 

 being 58°. These eggs were successfully hatched within 10 days, and 

 at the close of the year there were several hundred of the young fish on 

 hand. Their food consists of cornmeal and flour. 



All of the spotted catfish and rock bass on hand were shipped to 

 Nashville for exhibition purposes. As usual, large numbers of carp and 

 tench were hatched to be used as food for the bass, and a sufficient 

 number of goldfish were reared for stocking the public parks. 



During the winter the old tool-house, the fences, and the partitions 

 around the ponds were removed; a driveway was constructed from 

 Executive avenue to the office, and the grounds were further improved 

 by the planting of ornamental flower beds. 



Wttheville Station, Virginia (George A. Seagle, Superintendent). 



The condition of the ponds and buildings was such that it became 

 necessary to expend $800 in improvements during the fall. These con- 

 sisted of the subdivision of the bass ponds into 9 spawning-ponds by 

 the construction of wooden and earthen partitions, and the painting and 

 repairing of the hatchery and superintendent's residence. 



The stock of fish on hand at the beginning of the year is shown in the 

 tollowiug table: 



At the time of distribution in the fall the trout numbered 81,954; 

 2,200 of these were retained for breeding purposes and the remainder 

 were i)lanted in public and private waters. Very few black bass were 

 reared at the station, owing to the condition of the ponds, but the out- 



