XXXIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the Potomac and Susquehanna Eivers would furnish during the season 

 of 1879 a larger supply of spawning fish. It was therefore deemed ad- 

 visable to retain the hatching apparatus, which had been remodeled for 

 operations in Maryland, where it had hitherto been so successful. It 

 was determined to rely entirely upon the steamer Lookout, the services 

 of which had been secured for the purpose, and accordingly she was sent 

 to the mouth of the. Chowan Eiver, in charge of Mr. Jno. L. Saunders, 

 where she arrived April 11. The season not being very far advanced 

 at this time, the crew were employed in arranging the apparatus until 

 the eleventh day of April, when active operations were commenced. 



The equipment of the Lookout, as in previous years, consisted of six 

 cones, placed on the deck forward of the pilot-house, which supported 

 a distributing tank to supply them with water. These cones had been 

 perfected under the direction of Mr. Ferguson, and proved thoroughly 

 efficient. 



The rest of the apparatus used were the plunging buckets, also an 

 invention of Mr. Ferguson, the machinery for operating which had been 

 much improved. 



On account of the want of space on this small steamer, a hastily con- 

 structed pier was run out from the wharf at Avoca, and the use of a 

 small steam-engine was secured from Dr. Win. R. Capehart, proprietor 

 of the fishery, which was furnished with steam from the boilers of the 

 Lookout, and provided the motive power to operate the plunging 

 buckets. 



From the 11th of April to the 14th of May the Lookout was moored 

 to this wharf, her small pump supplying the cones which were used 

 simultaneously with the pluugiug cylinders, a neat arrangement of pul- 

 leys having been substituted for the levers which were first used to 

 operate the buckets. 



During the period referred to 5,295,000 young shad were produced 

 in the apparatus described, operated by the limited force which could 

 be accommodated on this small steamer. As this apparatus was some- 

 what hastily improvised and much altered in details from that hitherto 

 used, the reports from the station were looked forward to with some 

 anxiety. 



After some time spent in experimenting, Mr. Saunders reported that 

 the machinery did exceedingly well, and that the motion was better 

 than ever before. The eggs were kept moving nicely, and the young 

 fish came out strong aud healthy. He estimated the number of eggs 

 hatched to be at least 90 or 95 per cent, of the eggs placed in the cones. 



Of the 5,295,000 first produced, 2,115,000 were turned over to Mr. S. 

 G. Worth, the superintendent of fisheries of North Carolina, who has 

 always co-operated cordially with the United States Commission, to be 

 placed in the waters of the State. A distributing depot was established 

 at Franklin, a station on the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad, at the 

 head of navigation of the Chowan River, aud instructions were given 



