MANUAL OF FISH-CULTURE. 



141 



In March, 1892, the station was removed 2 miles lower down the 

 river to Bryan Point, on the Maryland side, opposite Monnt Yeruon. 

 As the eggs can be more safely and economically transported than the 

 fry, they are promptly transferred to Central Station at Washington, 

 where the hatching is done, and the fry are sent out to the various 

 rivers on the cars of the Commission, a side-track at Central Station 

 permitting them to be brought close up to the building. ' 



The following table, taken from the records of the station, shows the 

 value of the spawning-grounds : 



In 1889 immense collections of eggs were made on certain days — 

 8,308,000 on May 6 and 6,311,000 on May 7, and during seven days there 

 was an average of over 5,000,000 per day. This was before and just 

 after a freshet. 



To increase the supply of eggs, seine fishing has been attempted by 

 the United States Fish Commission on both the Susquehanna and the 

 Potomac, but the eflbrts were only partially successful and were finally 

 abandoned. The extension of egg-takiug by seines'can not be relied 

 upon, especially as this method of fishing has been declining for many 

 years, owing to its greater exjiense, and a corresponding growth has 

 taken place in the gill-net fishery. It is often difBcult to obtain the 

 ripe eggs from a seine on account of the great numbers of alewives 

 taken at the same time. 



Tlie following comparative table shows the shad-egg production from 

 a Potomac Eiver seine, together with the x)roportion of males, females, 

 and spawning fish, and the number of eggs per fish : 



