820 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



ing catch exceeded the evening catch, the record shows that two began 

 with stormy weather, bnt cleai-ed oft" before morning ; two others were 

 rainy nights nine and ten days after full moon, while the fifth and most 

 notable instance (November 9-10) was on a night partly clear and partly 

 cloudy, succeeding a rainy day, five days after new moon, when, of 

 course, the evening was light and the morning dark. On ordinary 

 jjleasant nights the greatest run was commonly in the evening, whatever 

 the phase of the moon. The very best catch (425 fish, November 3 and 4,) 

 was with light northwest wind, and clear sky all night, with no moon. 

 The next best three (of 375, 368, and 362 fish, respectively,) were also on 

 nights with northerly wind, mostly clear. Of the next two (291 and 272 

 fish, resi)ectively,) one was on a clear evening followed by a cloudy morn- 

 ing, and the other on occasion of a storm which cleared away during 

 the night and gave us a hea\^ morning catch. 



3. — Taking spawn. 



In taking spawn the ordinary procedure was about as follows : The 

 fish to be operated upon were brought close in front of the spawning-shed 

 by means of a fine seine, and were then dipped up, two or three at a 

 time, in a dip-net, and passed to the operators in the shed, who, armed 

 mth woolen mittens, sat on stools, with ten quart tin pans before them. 

 The fish that came first to hand, whether male or female, was immedi- 

 ately used, if ready. The males were always read3\ If a female, her 

 condition was first judged from her appearance when held ui) by the 

 tail. If ripe, the mass of spawn would settle down towards the head, 

 distending excessively the anterior part of the abdomen, which was very 

 soft and yielding to the touch, and leaving the posterior part very lank. 

 Such a fish was immediately pressed and the eggs received in the pan. 

 If the fish, when suspended in this way, retained its shape, and its abdo- 

 men felt firm to the touch it was pronounced unrij)e without being sub- 

 jected to pressure. The eggs of from six to ten females (averaging 1,000 

 eggs apiece), and the milt of about the same number of males (or less) 

 were pressed into the same pan, and after usiug each fish the eggs and 

 milt were brought into more complete contact by swaying the pan. Not 

 much regard was paid to the order in which tlie fish were used. When 

 six to ten thousand eggs were gathered in one pan, it was, after repeated 

 swajdng, i^assed over to be weighed and afterwards watered and rinsed 

 off. There was no fixed rule as to the length of time the milt and eggs 

 should remain in contact. Commonly some of them were in contact 

 half an hour or an hour and others only a few minutes. After rinsing, 

 the eggs were covered with water, the pans being nearly filled, and then 

 placed on slielves to await the complete disteution of the shell, after 

 which they were taken to the hatching-house in pails, as soon as con- 

 venient. If compelled to stand several hours in the pans they were 

 treated with a change of water. No water was placed in the paui> until 

 contact between eggs and milt was sujiposed to have been secured, but 



