892 EEPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 



time 6^ feet, soon disliearteued the seiDe fisherman, who began to " cut 

 out." On the 25th of May the seine at Bryant's Point " cut out," and 

 on June 1 the seine at Moxley's Point also " cut out," leaving the gill- 

 net fisherman as the only means of obtaining spawn. 



The greatest number of spawning fish taken at one time was at Mox- 

 ley's Point, May 10, when 31 females and 30 males were taken in a haul 

 of 250 shad. The greatest number of eggs taken iu one day was on 

 April -;7, when 1,590,000 shad eggs were obtained. Unfortunately, 

 600,000 of this number were lost by being put into a new tin vessel, 

 which may have contained some small portion of muriatic acid in the 

 solder, although it had been carefully scrubbed. Putting a large num- 

 ber of newly impregnated eggs into a single vessel seems questionable, 

 and may in some measure account for the loss. 



A leather carp, weighing from 3^ to 4 pounds, was taken in the seine 

 off Moxley's Point, and on June 1 a female shad weighing 1^ pounds, 13 

 inches long, and about two years old, was taken, and yielded spawn 

 quite freely. This fish was sent to the National Museum for preserva- 

 tion. 



The seine fisheries visited were situated on the eastern bank of the 

 Potomac as far down as Marshall Hall. Most of the eggs were taken 

 at Moxley's Point, owned by Mr. J. H. Skidmore, of Washington. The 

 shoal water there seemed to be the favorite resort of spawning fish. 

 Seventy per cent, of the entire number of eggs were taken here, the 

 seine at Bryant's Point and the gillers off Fort Washington supplying 

 the remainder. 



The haul-seine at Moxley's Point, owned by Mr. J. H. Skidmore, is 300 

 fathoms in length, 25 feet in depth; size of meshes 1 inch to IJ inches. 

 Total cost of net and roping, $735; seine, boat, and outfit, $360; two 

 capstans, $50 each; making total cost of equipment about $1,200. 

 Twenty-five men were employed here at $25 per month each and their 

 board, which cost about 20 cents per day. In addition to these, four 

 foremen were employed, at sums varying from $100 to $200 apiece for a 

 season of seven or eight weeks. Getting the fish to market costs about 

 $7 a day. In addition to the above, three horses were employed to haul 

 the seine. Four hauls were made on each ebb-tide, the flood haul being 

 omitted, owing to the fact Mr. Skidmore did not own the ground below 

 the haul. 



The fishery at Sandy Bar, where a good many of the eggs were taken 

 last season, "cut out" after ten days' fishing. 



There are twenty-six gill-net fishing-boats between the Eastern Branch 

 and Marshall Hall, two men in each boat; the gill-nets being from 100 

 to 250 fathoms in length, 24 feet in depth ; size of meshes, 5^ inches; the 

 cost of a 100-fathom net is $35; boat and outfit $100; the total cost of 

 outfit being $135. The men employed receive $1 per day; the boats 

 and nets being the property of the men fishing them. 



There were fifteen pound nets visited, costing $150 each, the expense 



