[5] WORK OF THE STEAMER FISH HAWK. 7 



during the montli of August. Shad were seen in the pool as late as No- 

 vember, but were in poor condition and almost covered with fungus. 



The results of seining at Battery Station will be found in the table 

 appended. 



On the 14th of June we coaled ship at Havre de Grace, and on the 

 15th left for Washington, arriving on the 16th. 



The principal improvement introduced in shad-hatching during the 

 present season on board the Fish Hawk, as shown in Plate 1. Fig. 1, is 

 a vertical sectional view of the base of liatching-cone a a, with base-ring 

 h b of cast brass, and goose-neck c, also of cast brass. 



The improvement referred to consists of the small brass cone d d, in- 

 troduced into the base of the hatching-cone in place of the wire gauze 

 formerly used, for the double purpose of strainer and guard, to prevent 

 the eggs from falling into the goose neck. 



The inverted conical surface is -^ of an inch smaller than the base- 

 ring b b, and has four ribs ^\j of an inch thick, equidistant upon its 

 periphery, which rest on the base-ring above mentioned, forming a chan- 

 nel between the ribs through which the water flows from the goose-neck 

 to the cone. 



Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base-ring b b, the small cone d, the ribs 

 e e ee, and the water channel ffff. The hatching capacity of the cones 

 was nearly doubled by the use of this cone, and the labor required in 

 attending them during the hatching process was greatly reduced, as 

 neither goose-neck nor cone required removal for cleaning. 



The aerators described in my last report were used during the season, 

 and in case it became necessary to crowd the hatching cones with eggs 

 it would be of great service. 



On the morning of June 19 we left the navy-yard with two United 

 States Fish Commission barges in tow, destined for Saint Jerome's Creek. 

 We encountered a gale in the Lower Potomac which damaged one of the 

 barges somewhat and forced us to seek a harbor in Smith's Creek, where 

 we remained till the morning of the 21st, when, the weather having mod- 

 erated, we went to the station at Saint Jerome's and commenced the task 

 of hauling the barges out on the beach. 



The machinery barge weighed 65 tons and the other 45, which we 

 found too much for any purchase we had on board, and as the necessary 

 blocks could be found at Annapolis, we left at once for that place, bor- 

 rowed what we required from the Santee and returned at 2 p. m. the 

 following day. 



Work was resumed at once, and the barges were on the beach and 

 blocked up on the 24th. We then went to the wharf and took on board 

 a quantity of stores, which we delivered at the station, then left for An- 

 napolis to return the blocks borrowed, arriving at 11 p. m. Remained 

 at anchor during the following day, Sunday, returned the blocks on 

 Monday morning, and at 7.45 a. m. left for Point Lookout wharf, where we 

 took in stores for Saint Jerome's. Returned to that place and anchored 

 for the night. 



