REPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 43 



Fisn J^AKES, Washington, D. C. (C. K. Green, Superintendent). 



The station being located within the parking system of the District, 

 much attention is given to the ornamentation and care of the grounds 

 during the summer. During the summer months the work consists 

 chiefly in keeping down the extensive growth of aquatic grasses in the 

 various ponds and giving them a. tidy appearance. The adult bass 

 and crappie are fed regularly, the food consisting of carp bred for the 

 purpose, which are taken from the ponds by means of nets, dressed, 

 and cut in pieces as large as a hickory nut for the adults and from 

 one-fourth to one-half this size for the yearlings. In the fall of the 

 year, when the breeding-ponds are drawn, a suppl}^ of .young carp is 

 secured and introduced into the stock ponds, and in this way the adult 

 fish are furnished with a food suppl}'' throughout the winter. 



During the year the cottage was thoroughly renovated and put in 

 a sanitary condition as a residence for the superintendent. The work 

 of collecting young fish for distribution was begun September IG and 

 continued until October 21, the total number furnished consisting of 

 4,688 large-mouthed black bass, 17,468 crappie, and 30,000 cat-fish. 

 On October 18 the shad which had been introduced as fry the previous 

 May to the number of 2,000,000 were liberated in the Potomac River 

 b}^ raising the gates leading from the pond to the river. Several speci- 

 mens examined when liberated showed that the fish had grown to an 

 average length of 3f inches. 



The usual attention w^as paid to the cultivation of ornamental fishes, 

 such as gold-fish, golden tench, green tench, and golden ide, which 

 are raised for stocking the aquaria at the Zoological Park and Central 

 Station and for the District parks. Large numbers of carp were also 

 reared for fish food. Many predatory animals, birds, and snakes were 

 killed during the year. 



The crappie began spawning April 17, in a water temperature of 

 61°, and continued until May 15, the height of the season being about 

 May 2, when the temperature of the water ranged from 68° to 75°. 

 The first eggs cast hatched in five days, the water temperature during 

 the time ranging from 53° to 66°, but as the weather became warmer 

 the period of incubation was reduced to three days. 



The large-mouthed black bass began spawning April 20, in a water 

 temperature of 64°, and ceased spawning about May 20, although 

 four nests were discovered between June 2 and June 13. The height 

 of the spawning season was about April 23, when the water tempera- 

 ture averaged about 71°. The first fry made their appearance April 24. 



Central Station, Washington, D. C. (J. E. Brown, in Charge). 



The work at Central Station has been conducted on the same lines 

 as for the past few years. The station is used as a clearing-house for 

 much of the product of the Fish Lakes Station and for shipments of 

 fish and eggs sent here from other stations. During fall and winter 



