422 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Ou the 28th about 155,000 young sbad were put into the river, and 

 60,000 eggs impregnated from three spawners. 



Ou the 29th the river was muddy and the water high from rains to the 

 northward, and but few shad were taken in the nets, and no spawners 

 found among ^liem. The temperature of the river on the afternoon of 

 the 28th reached 70^, and on the 29th varied from morning to evening 

 from 70O to 75°. 



On the 30th no ripe fishes were taken. The temperature of the river 

 varied from 75° to as high as 80°. About 50,000 youug shad were 

 turned loose into the river. 



On the 31st the temperature of the water had fallen as low as 02° in 

 the morning, but rose again before night to 70°. Day-time fishing for 

 spawners, though rarely successful, afforded this day three ripe fishes, 

 and at night nine more were taken, and from all 250,000 ova were 

 obtained. 



June 1, no ova were obtained. 



On June 2, 214 fishes were captured and five ripe fishes handled, 

 producing 100,000 spawn, the temperature of the river varying between 

 08° and 72°. 



On the 3d the fishermen made twelve hauls of the seine, capturing 

 about 200 shad, among which were found four spawners, and 80,000 

 eggs taken from them. 



On the 4th twelve hauls were made and but few shad taken. Eight 

 ripe females were obtained in the evening, and 190,000 eggs impreg- 

 nated. 



The 5th saw but few shad taken at the hatching-station. More than 

 100,000 young fish were turned out of the boxes; four ripe females were 

 obtained and about 70,000 eggs impregnated. The river for the first 

 time during the season showed a temperature as high as 84°. 



On the Gtli tlie fishermen made twelve hauls, taking only ninety shad; 

 eight of them were ripe females, but the eggs were all found to be dead, 

 on extrusion, with a white speck in the normally uniform yellow tint 

 of each egg, showing its addled condition. The temperature of the 

 river in the morning and the evening was 78° and 84°. As dead eggs 

 are seldom or never taken from the shad except in a time of high tem- 

 ])erature of the river, this condition is without doubt to be attributed to 

 this cause. There were about 75,000 young fish turned loose on this 

 day. 



On the 7th nine hauls were made, two ripe spawners obtained, and 

 15,000 eggs impregnated. There were about 125,000 young fish turned 

 into the river. The highest record of the thermometer in the river on 

 this day was 80°. 



Knight & Gibson stopped fishing for the season on this ground, "cut 

 out the nets," as it is termed on the river, their fisheries farther down 

 the river having been stopped several days before, and it was with 

 difficulty and additional expense the gang of men could be kept together 



