70 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Nov. 18, 
periments to be made in behalf of the United States Commission 
of Fisheries. 
At the time of the writer’s visit the fishermen were bringing 
daily to the slaughtering wharfs from fifty to one hundred fish ; 
and among these (May 16,17, 18,1893), a number of spawners 
were taken, There was thus abundant material for purposes of 
experiment. In the following paper the results of these test 
studies, in their bearing upon practical sturgeon culture, are 
briefly reviewed: 
Fertilization.—The fertilization of the eggs,as known from 
former experiments,* is easily accomplished. The milt and roe 
even appear to retain their capability of fertilization under most 
unfavorable conditions. Ripe fish when brought into the docks 
had been out of water at least several hours; no precautions had 
been taken to insure their careful transportation, and they were 
usually near the point of death. In one case eggs were success- 
fully fertilized which were taken from a fish apparently lifeless. 
The milt was found to remain active as long as a quarter of an 
hour after the fish had been slaughtered. 
In the mode of fertilization, care in details appears to be need- 
less. Eggs from ripe fish are readily fertilized, whether ex- 
truded by pressure or obtained by excision. In the latter case 
there is apparently no preference to be given to eggs from dif- 
ferent ovarian regions. Excision is certainly the more speedy 
and convenient method. The eggs may be received with equal 
success in vessels, earthen, metal or wooden. Especial cleanli- 
ness is not vitally essential; in one case eggs were fertilized in 
an earthen bowl, from which a fixing solution of concentrated 
acetic-sublimate had been hastily rinsed. 
Milt may likewise be taken as well by excision as extrusion. 
In case the fish be not actually “ ripe,” sufficient milt for a fer- 
tilization may often be obtained ina pipette after repeated body 
pressure. Milt may be collected in vessels, clean, soiled or 
rusted, and will retain its activity (out of water) for at least six 
minutes. Obtained by excision the milt may be separated from 
the fragments of cut testes by coarsely straining through cloth. 
For convenience in handling, it was found that the milt might 
best be secured and retained in a long rubber bulbed pipette. 
If untouched by water, the eggs remain capable of fertiliza- 
tion for several (5) minutes. Details in the mode of introduc- 
ing the milt seem of little importance. No better results fol- 
lowed the introduction of milt directly from the living fish than 
of that strained from cut testes and retained several minutes in 
*In the United States those for example of Seth Green (New Hamburg, Nee Yes 
1875), Ryder (Del. City, 1888), Lotz (Ohio, F. C. Rep. 1890). 
