188 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



THE SMELT. 



This fish {Osmerus mordax) is propagated by the New York Fish Com- 

 mission at its station at Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. As a food- 

 fish, it is held in high esteem, the flesh being delicate and of excellent, 

 flavor. Its range is from Maine to Virginia, on the United States coast. 

 It is of economic imj^ortance in all the States between New York and 

 Maine, but is taken for market in largest quantities in Maine. The 

 average length of those sold is G to 9 inches, and their weight from 2 to 

 4 ounces. The fish enters the fresh-water rivers in fall and winter for 

 the purpose of spawning and feeding and is then caught with lines and 

 nets. The annual catch is about 1,700,000 pounds, valued at $125,000. 



The smelt spawns in spring, in either fresh or brackish water of 

 rivers or brooks. The eggs, which are adhesive, are attached to stones, 

 weeds, sticks, or other objects. 



The results of smelt propagation on Long Island have been quite 

 marked; not only has there been a large increase in the catch, but the, 

 fish have appeared in streams where they were previously unknown. 

 The return of mature fish apparently artificially hatched has permitted 

 the taking of many more eggs than was at first possible. In a stream 

 previously destitute of smelts, in which fry were planted in 1885, nearly 

 32,000,000 eggs were collected in 1894. 



The eggs are 0.05 inch in diameter and number 490,000 to the fluid 

 qnart. Smelt weighing only 2 ounces yield from 40,000 to 50,000 eggs. 

 Some fish only 3 or 4 inches long are full of spawn. 



The fish-cultural work with this species is similar to that with the 

 yellow perch and flatfish. The spawning fish, of both sexes, are placed 

 in troughs, which are covered to exclude light. The eggs are naturally 

 laid and fertilized, and become attached to each other and to the 

 troughs. They are scooped up with a flat shovel, iflaced on wire trays 

 in water, and are forced through the meshes of the trays to separate 

 them, the o])eratioii being repeated if they are not sufficiently sei)arated 

 at first. They are then transferred to automatic shad jars, blanketed 

 to exclude light, which is very injurious to them. If during hatching 

 the eggs form into bunches, they are removed from the jars and again 

 passed through the meshes of the wire trays. 



THE GOLDEN IDE. 



This fish, known as the golden ide or orfe {Idus idus), has been 

 .introduced into the United States from Europe by this Commission. 

 Although a food-fish of fair quality, it is seldom eaten in this country, 

 but is chiefly used for ornamental purposes. Its usual length is about 

 a foot and its weight 1 pound. It is a very showy fish, being of a uni- 

 form reddish-golden or silvery color. The small, weak mouth restricts 

 the character of the natural food to vegetable and diminutive animal 

 substances. 



The fish is reared in ponds, like carp, tench, and other similar species. 

 The ponds should be 3 or 4 feet deep, with either spring or running 



