48 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



as well as the smaller catches made in the pound nets along the shores. 

 Notes were kept upon the abundance, sizes, and spawning- conditions 

 of the fish, and interviews were held with the masters of the different 

 schooners relative to the more important incidents connected with 

 their several cruises. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN CHESAPEAKE BAY AND ADJACENT WATERS. 



The fishery investigations begun in June, 1802, in the lower part of 

 Chesapeake Bay and the adjacent waters of the open ocean by the 

 schooner Grampus were continued until about July 20, when that ves- 

 sel proceeded to Woods Hole to take up the physical inquiries along 

 the continental platform, as described above. A few trips were made 

 out to sea during this period, but the examinations were principally 

 confined to the waters of the bay, in which the beam trawl, seines, etc., 

 were employed with good results. 



FISHES OF CASCO BAY, MAINE. 



During August, 1892, Mr. W. 0. Kendall was engaged in collecting 

 and observing the habits of fishes in the more inclosed waters of Casco 

 Bay, Maine, including the lower parts of some of its tributary streams. 

 The special object of his inquiries was to ascertain if the menhaden 

 spawn in that region, and if the young occur in the brackish waters 

 there during the summer mouths, as is the case south of Cape Cod. 

 No specimens of young menhaden were secured, however, and no evi- 

 dence was obtained to show that this species has been in the habit of 

 spawning in this bay during recent years at least. 



EMBRYOLOGY OF THE STURGEON. 



Arrangements were made, in the spring of 1893, for the study, by 

 Dr. Bashford Dean, of Columbia College, New York, of the embryology 

 of the sturgeon {Acipenser sturio oxyrhynchus Mitchill), on board the 

 steamer Fish Haivk, while stationed in the Dela\\'are River off Glou- 

 cester City, N. J., during the shadhatchiug season, the object of this 

 inquiry being to supplement the investigations respecting the same 

 species carried on for the Fish Commission several years before by Prof. 

 John A. Kyder. As the necessary material could not be obtained 

 conveniently in the locality named, however. Dr. Dean proceeded to 

 Delaware City, Del., where he made his headquarters, and where he 

 was fortunate in securing an abundance of ri])e sturgeon of both sexes. 

 His experiments and observations were carried on with entire success 

 in all particulars. No difficulties were encountered in fertilizing the 

 eggs and in holding them in good condition until they hatched. They 

 were kept in imi)rovised floating boxes, which were moored in several 

 places in the river and canal, those placed in the mid-current affording 

 the best results. Very few eggs were lost in any of the boxes, and 



