96' REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



WOODS HOLE LABORATORY. 



The Woods Hole laboratory of the Commission was kept open, as 

 usual, during the summer of 1893. A few investigators arrived there in 

 June, but the largest attendance was during July and August. The 

 laboratory was in charge of Mr. J. Percy Moore, instructor in biology 

 in the University of Pennsylvania. The Commissioner was also pres- 

 ent during the most of the season, aiding and advising in the direc- 

 tion of the work, and conducting experiments relative to fish-cultural 

 subjects. 



The others in attendance were as follows: Prof. Francis H. Herrick, 

 of Adelbert College; Dr. William Patten, of Dartmouth College; Dr. 

 Bashford Dean, of Columbia University; Dr. John A. Ryder and Mr. 

 H. P. Moore, of the University of Pennsylvania; Dr. E. A. Andrews 

 and Dr. George P. Dreyer, of Johns Hopkins University; Dr. H. V. 

 Wilson, of the University of North Carolina; Dr. Charles B. Dav- 

 enport, Mr. H. V. Neal, and Mr. Conkliug, of Harvard University; 

 Mr. James I. Peck, of Williams College; Prof. D. S. Kellicott, of the 

 University of Ohio; Prof. R. C. Schiedt, of Franklin and Marshall 

 College; Mr. John Y. Graham, of Princeton College; Mr. B.L. Hardin, 

 of the Fish Commission; Miss Elizabeth Cooke, of the University of 

 Chicago ; Miss Ida Hyde, of Bryn Mawr College, and Miss M. H. Cartel', 

 of Boston. 



Of these, Mr. J. Percy Moore, Professor Herrick, Mr. Peck, Dr. Dean, 

 Mr. H. F. Moore, and Mr. Hardin were engaged upon investigations 

 in the interest of the Fish Commission. The remainder were accorded 

 the privilege of the laboratory for carrying on such special biological 

 researches as they desired to undertake on their own account, in accord- 

 ance with the custom which has prevailed since the establishment of 

 the station by Professor Baird. The presence of such independent 

 workers involves no extra expense upon the Government, and is fully 

 justified both by the private subscriptions from scientific sources which 

 rendered possible the purchase of the land on which the station is 

 located, and by the benefits indirectly derived by the fishing industries 

 from the results of all such inquiries. 



The time of Mr. J. Percy Moore was given mainly to the study of 

 the embryology and food of some of the more important market fishes. 

 The station was not opened until after the close of the spawning season 

 of both the menhaden and mackerel in this region, an examination of 

 fresh specimens showing that the season had ended with the former 

 about the middle of June, and with the latter perhaps a week later. 

 From the study of alcohol specimens of menhaden, preserved from day 

 to day by Mr. Edwards during the earlier part of the ruu, Mr. Moore 

 is led to believe that in the case of that species the greatest spawning 

 activity in the vicinity of W T oods Hole occurs between May 15 and Jane 

 15, this conclusion agreeing essentially with the results of previous 



