882 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [4] 



by the force of spawn-takers under my direction, one or more being 

 stationed at each of the hirge fishing shores. 



The Herreshoff launch was assigned for service in connection with 

 Central Station, but being liable to detachment at any time, to take 

 the place of the Lookout, in the conduct of the work at the Navy- Yard 

 Station, it could only be relied upon for work of inspection. It was 

 necessary, therefore, to make arrangements for the transportation of 

 the impregnated eggs from the shores to Washington by public carriers. 

 Arrangements were accordingly made with the steam-tug employed in 

 running fish from the shores to Washington to receive and transport 

 the crates of eggs, and to return the empty crates to the shores. 



The irregularity of this service often delayed the movement of the 

 eggs, so that in many cases they did not reach the hatching station 

 until from twenty-four to thirty-six hours advanced in incubation. 



When convenient the steamer Corcoran was also used as a means of 

 transportation. 



To have attempted under such circumstances the movement of the 

 eggs in water would have involved total loss. The dry method of trans- 

 portation, inaugurated in connection with the work of the previous 

 season, was determined upon, and the men carefully instructed in the 

 details of handling the eggs, with a view to securing the best results. 

 The transportation crate employed in carrying out this method is shown 

 in the figure, page 887. It consists of twenty shallow frames with wire 

 bottoms. These, when stacked, are bound together by straps, so as to 

 form a package convenient for shipping. 



The eggs, as delivered to the station, were immediately transferred to 

 the hatching jars, and the total number received ascertained by meas- 

 ure and recorded. The operation of receiving and transferring the eggs 

 is well illustrated in Plate II. 



To determine the percentage of unimpregnated and dead eggs on re- 

 ception, a second measurement was made at the end of twelve hours, 

 the difference between the two measures giving the percentage of dead 

 and unimpregnated eggs ; and the second measurement being the basis 

 upon which our estimates of results in hatching are calculated. 



Mr. W. F. Page was placed in charge of the hatching at Central Sta- 

 tion, being assisted by details from time to time, as the emergencies of 

 the work required. 



The total number of eggs received, as shown by the summary of his 

 report for the season, was 6,706,000 ; the number lost in incubation, 

 1,313,000; the total number of fish shipped (product of Central Sta- 

 tion), 5,393,000; giving an average percentage of loss in incubation for 

 the season of 19.5. 



This percentage is higher than heretofore reported with the methods 

 l)reviously in use, and is to be attributed to the fact that in the use of 

 these jars we have been able for the first time to arrive at an accurate 

 estimate of the percentage of loss actually incurred. Such reports here- 



