XXIV RET'ORT OF COMMIS.SrOXER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The best results in liatcljiiiii' were obtained witli the water at 38'^ 

 to 45° F. Towards the latter part of January, the tenii)eratlire of 

 the Witter in the hatchery reached 34^°, causing a retarding and nou- 

 nnifonnity in the develo)>nientof the eggs. With a view of obviating 

 this dilliculty, the (Commissioner, who visited the station on February 

 18, directed the utilizing of the warm water from the condenser of the 

 boiler bj' arranging for its discharge through the main suction pipe t») 

 the supply tank. By the use of valves, this discharge could be either 

 entirely cut off or regulated, which permitted the maintenance of a 

 piactically uniform temperature of the water furnished the hatchery. 

 The results of the season's work were considerably augmented by this 

 arrangement. 



It was anticipated that, as in ]5revious years, a large supply of spawn 

 could be secured from the tishing-grounds of Gloucester, but not till 

 the end of March, as the station was about being closed, were ripe fish 

 secured in any quantity. From this it would a^jpear that there is no 

 uniformity as to the time the fish return to their spawning-grounds. 



Kegarding the collecting of eggs in Ii^swich Bay, Capt. Adams 

 reports : 



Duriugthe early part of December cod eggs were found plentiful among the net 

 lisliernien in Ipswich Bay, and from day to day each spawn-taker took from one to 

 three millions, which api)eared in good condition, but would nearly all die inside of 

 twenty-four hours, this being something new to our oldest spawn-takers even. 

 These eggs were invariably taken from live tish, which is always the case, and we 

 found that our work was being seriously injured. One experienced spawn-taker 

 took about thi'ee millions in the usual way, half of which died in three or four 

 hours, and before he landed with them at Kittery Point. Finally, a few vessels lish- 

 ing with trawls came into the bay, and Mr. Couley very soon found that eggs taken 

 from tish caught on trawls could be taken to Gloucester in good condition. As 

 soon as possible, the force was placed on the trawling vessels, after which good 

 eggs were secured throughout the winter. Eiwly in March, as the trawling vessels 

 began to leave the bay, the men were gradually returned to the net lishermen, and 

 this tline they found good eggs. These being the facts, I mention them, hoping 

 that some good will be derived from them for future work. 



It may also be worthy of mention here that our largest take of eggs in Ipswich 

 Bay during the past season occurred immediately after easterly storms. During cold, 

 oifshorc Aviuds codfish are supposed by the lishermen to be gradually nearing the 

 shores or beaches, the fishermen following them up with their trawls till an easterly 

 or onshore Avind comes on, when the undertow starts them ofl'shore again in double- 

 quick time ajid the ripe lish are attracted by tht; trawl baits. 



Woods Roll Station, Massachusetts (John Maxwem., Superintendent). 



The fish-cultural work at the station was commenced about the first 

 of ]S«ovember, and carried on till the close of the fiscal year. Atten- 

 tion was mainly given to the propagation of the cod, the fiatfish, and 

 the lobster, some experiments being made Avith the sea bass and the 

 scip. Till the end of March the direction of the fish cultural Avork 

 ■was under Mr. Alexander Jones, and froju that time till the close of the 

 yeai- under Superintendent Maxwell. 



