REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



33 



on May !•'">, tlius terminatiiii;- tlie ('ollectinjLj- season. The e^igs collected 

 amounted to only 57 per cent of the average of the four jn-eceding- sea- 

 sons. The water temperature at the station diftered from previous 

 years, becomino- lower instead of higher as the season advanced. On 

 April 22 to 20 it was 06.(P F.; May 1 too, 60.2°; May 9 to 13, 64.8^ 



The following is a statement of the egg yield from the operation of 

 the Fort Washington seine and the shad catch during the years 1887 

 to 1891, inclusive: 



For the removal of loose stone which obstructed the hauling of the 

 Fort Washington seine an 8-foot beam trawl, in connection with the 

 seine capstans, was successfully employed. A useful fixture for remov- 

 ing the fish scales from the eggs was also devised and put into practical 

 operation. This consisted of two 18-inch flared tin pans with handles, 

 one nesting within the other, 2 inches of the bottom of the interior 

 one being evenly cut off and covered with quarter-inch stretched twine 

 netting. It was operated by filling the lower pan with water above 

 the netting, and gently ladling in 2 or 3 gallons of eggs, when they 

 would drop through the meshes, leaving the scales behind. 



An advance was made in transferring the eggs to Washington, by 

 changing the time of shipment from evening to early morning, by which 

 the afternoon heat was avoided. 



Central Station, Washington, D. C. (S. G. Wouth, Superintendent). 



1889-90. 



The scope of work of this station has continued as in previous years. 

 The operations in hatching were as follows : 



H. Mis. 113 3 



