75 



be well to say that all terrapin are exceedingly destructive 

 to fish life, and the fresh-water ones are not much esteemed 

 as food. As a fish culturist I would not advise stocking any 

 waters with them, if the waters contained any fish that had 

 value as food. The terrapins, or tortoises, float up under a 

 fish, take a bite out of it, and it dies. Often they cannot eat 

 the whole of the fish. I have watched them in aquaria. 



A Member. — The Juniata terrapins sell from two to six 

 dollars per dozen, to mix with the diamond-back terrapin, and 

 those are considered good prices. 



On motion the meeting then adjourned, to meet on the 

 boat at 1 p. M. 



The Trip on the " Fish-Hawk." 



Immediately upon adjournment the Society, in accordance 

 with the invitation extended by the Anglers' Association of 

 Eastern Pennsylvania, repaired to the U. S. Steamer " Fish- 

 Hawk," where they were met by a large delegation of the 

 Anglers' Association and other guests, and cordially welcomed 

 by Lieut. Commander Piatt, of the "Fish-Hawk," and an hour 

 or more was spent in an examination of the interesting pro- 

 cess of shad hatching, then in progress on the vessel. The 

 hatching, which was done with Col. McDonald's efficient ap- 

 paratus, was fully explained by those in charge, and greatly 

 interested all present. Capt. Piatt stated that there were at 

 the time 2,795,000 shad eggs in the eighty-five McDonald 

 hatching jars, then in process of hatching. The eggs were 

 obtained from the several fisheries in the vicinity of Glouces- 

 ter, N. J., the boats attending the nets as they were hauled. 

 The process of hatching them was thus described : On tables 

 located on the main deck were placed the jars, and rubber 

 tubes with glass connections to a two-inch pipe under the 

 spar deck. This pipe connected with a large wooden tank on 

 the spar deck. The water for this tank was supplied by a 

 steam pump situated on the main deck. The water from this 

 tank passes through the two-inch pipe, thence through the 



