XXXV.-REPORT OF OPERATIONS AT THE NAVY-YARD SHAD 

 HATCHING STATION IN WASHINGTON, D. C., DURING THE SEA- 

 SON OF 1882. 



By Lieut. W. M. Wood, U. S. N. 



I have the honor to make the following report of the shad-hatching 

 operations carried on at this station : 



The station is at the navy-yard, Washington, in the east wing of the 

 boat-house, which forms a large room, having in the center an opening 

 to the water large enough to hoist a boat. The apparatus used was the 

 Ferguson cones. These were forty-eight in number, arranged in eight 

 parallel rows on each side of the open space in the center. The pressure 

 of water was supplied from the city mains, the discharge emptying 

 into the river. The room was lighted by four double windows on the 

 east side and one on the north side. As the season advanced it was 

 found that the cones on the western or dark side yielded nearly 50 per 

 cent, less than those on the eastern side. The eggs in these cones 

 formed in clotted masses that soon emitted a noxious odor, and quickly 

 killed any young fish that hatched. On the 24th of May two large 

 windows were cut on the southern side of the room, admitting much 

 more light and sun. The effect of this was soon appreciable, the west- 

 ern side yielding as good results as the other. Thirteen of the cones 

 on the western side were provided with a new goose-neck, in which the 

 small jet pipe used in the others was omitted. These cones continued 

 to yield bad results, even after the windows were cut, although in some 

 cases the wire-gauze top of the goose-neck was removed. 



The steamer Lookout and a Herreshoft' steam-launch were attached 

 to the station, making daily trips to the fishing grounds for eggs. The 

 first shad eggs, 40,000 in number, were taken on the 19th of April, and 

 the first shipment of young fish was made the 3d of May to the San- 

 dusky Eiver, Ohio. The weather until May 17 was cold, damp, and 

 rainy, the temperature of the water not being higher than 60^ F. at 

 any time, which has been deemed exceedingly unfavorable. The fish 

 hatched took a period of nearly ten days, and seemed quite weak. As 

 the water grew warmer this period gradually decreased. On the 20th 

 of May to eight days, temperature of water 63<^ ; on the 1st of June to 

 six days, temperature of water 69° ; and on the 7th of June to four days, 

 temperature of water 70° and 71°. 



Although the fishing season began quite early, the cold and rainy 

 weather, with an unusual rise of the river on several occasions, at one 

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