REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXIII 



The first spawn was taken on November 7, and the spawning was 

 finished by the 22d of the same month. The eggs had sufficiently de- 

 veloped to be shipped by the 6th of January, and were distributed to 

 the waters of many States, as shown in Mr. Atkins' report. 



Instructions have been given for the enlargement of the facilities, and 

 as the fish increase, in consequence of the large deposits of young fish, 

 the spawn procured from them can be cared for and properly devel- 

 oped. 



Should the operations of the Commission increase in the future as 

 they have in the past, arrangement must necessarily be made for the 

 establishment of several supplementary stations for hatching the eggs 

 of the Salmonidse. At present, the works on the McCloud Eiver for 

 the California salmon, those on the Penobscot Eiver for the Eastern 

 salmon, and those at Grand Lake Stream for the land-locked salmon 

 are the only ones provided by the Commission. From these points the 

 eggs are forwarded to the hatcheries of the various States, and the dis- 

 tribution and deposit of the fry is effected largely under the auspices 

 of the State commissioners. As, however, there are large central districts 

 available for the fish, where there are either no State commissioners, 

 or such as are without the means for further treatment of the eggs, it 

 has been thought advisable to look into the question of localities, espe- 

 cially in the Southern and Southwestern States. The difficulty, how- 

 ever, is to find an ample supply of water sufficiently cold for the various 

 species. The spring water in the South, although palatable to the taste, 

 is usually too warm for hatching and preserving the fry of the Eastern 

 salmon and trout. As one advantage of the California species of sal 

 mon and trout over their allies in the East consists is their greater 

 adaptability to warm water, it is possible that this project may after a 

 time be carried out successfully. Among other points which have been 

 especially urged as suitable for such establishments is that of Hunts 

 ville, Ala., where a large spring in the town has been offered for the 

 purpose. 



Shad (Alosa sapidissima). 



The propagation and distribution of shad were continued in the same 

 localities that had been occupied during the previous year, and al- 

 though the season was somewhat unpropitious, the aggregate yield of 

 young shad was increased from 15,500,000 the previous year to 10,002,000. 

 and, the arrangements for the distribution having been much improved. 

 a large proportion of these were transferred to outside waters. 



Albemarle Sound Station. — Although anxious to continue the work, so 

 successfully inaugurated in previous years in Albemarle Sound, it was 

 not deemed advisable to transfer the full equipment of hatching appa 

 ratus to this station, as they proved to be somewhat too unwieldy to be 

 moved with safety and certainty to such distant points. It was also 

 anticipated that the large deposits of shad made in previous years in 

 S. Mis. 59 in 



