[9] WORK OF THE STEAMER FISH-HAWK. 63 



mained on the surface went down from four to six iucbes or more 

 where they appeared to be feeding upon the minute particles collected 

 on the surface of the cone. On the 23d they were still thriving, but 

 few dead ones having been seen. It was an undoubted tact that they 

 were feeding and developing normally. On the 24th 463,000 eggs were 

 received and 313,000 young fish deposited in the river near the ship. 



On the 25th 781,000 eggs were taken and 275,000 young fish deposited. 

 The young shad before mentioned, fourteen days old, were doing well, 

 no dead lish being noticed. The last seine in this region cut out on this 

 date. On the 20th 1,062,000 eggs were taken and 406,000 young fish 

 deposited. One of the young shad, fifteen days old, was examined 

 under a microscope to-day. Minute Crustacea were found in its stomach. 



On the 27th 625,000 eggs were taken and 1,250,000 young fish de- 

 posited near the ship. A ripe rock, the first of the season, was taken 

 to-day, but no milt could be procured to impregnate the eggs. On the 

 28th 675,000 shad eggs were taken and 500,000 young shad deposited. 

 Mr. Capehart and his son, Dr. E. W. Capehart, owners of two great 

 fisheries in Albemarle Sound, visited the ship and inspected the hatch- 

 ing operations. 



On the 29th 369,000 shad eggs were received. The small number of 

 eggs taken may be attributed to the lateness of the tide. Shad are 

 taken in gill-nets at or near slack-water in this locality, and when this 

 occurs at sundown or an hour or two later many fish are taken in the 

 act of spawning. It should not be inferred from this that all spawning 

 takes place at that time, but it is an undoubted fact that we take a 

 large proportion of our eggs between the hours mentioned. 



On the 30th 50,000 eggs were taken and 375,000 young fish deposited 

 near the ship, and at 3 p. m.. May 31, we got under way and delivered 

 a shipment of 1,250,000 young fry at Havre de Grace. We then steamed 

 down the channel and anchored near Locust Point, Spesutie Island. A 

 furious squall of wind and rain with thunder and lightning swept down 

 the river from 7 to 11 p. m., two inches of rain fiilling in the mean time. 



The gill-boats along the west shore were visited and 106,000 eggs 

 procured ; 625,000 young fry were deposited in North East Ki ver. There 

 was a slight freshet in the river on June 1st, which made the water very 

 muddy; 187,000 eggs were taken and 500,000 young fish transferred to 

 Battery Station for shipment; 38,000 eggs were taken on the 2d, 312,500 

 young fish transferred to Battery Station, and 625,500 deposited near 

 the ship. 



The young fish of May 11, twenty- two days old, remaining in the cone, 

 were sent to Washington. They were well developed and in fine con- 

 dition. 



On the 3d of June 50,000 eggs were taken and 125,000 fry transferred 

 to Battery Station. 



The estimate of eggs taken during the season has been on the basis 

 of 25,000 to the dipper of 7^ giUs. By actual count, four fluid ounces (one 



