REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXV 



to be plump and full-roed, and made a gain iu quality of 50 to 75 

 per cent. The applicatiou of this principle was not infallible, however, 

 as the eggs iu some of the shad were dead, a condition not always dis- 

 cernible at the time of stripping. 



It is recommended that the gillers of Occoquan Bay, Mattawoman 

 Creek, and Craney Island flats, where about 30 boats with good outfits 

 operate in shoal water, be attended with as much regularity as those 

 nearer the station, as these latter, owing to the poor condition of their 

 equipments, would not be able to catch many fish were they ever so 

 abundant. 



The hatching of the white perch should also have some attention. 

 During the season the station's seine caught between 200 and 300 large 

 fish containing full roes, with some of the eggs in excellent condition 

 for impregnation, but attempts to fertilize them were unsuccessful. 

 Their propagation could probably be successfully accomplished by. 

 digging shallow right angled trenches in the ground near the hatchery 

 tank, flooring the bottoms and making partitions or walls with old roofing 

 slates, and then keeping them filled with the river water, transferring 

 the fish into the subdivisions by pairs (male and female). When the 

 slates are found to be covered with eggs, the parent fish could be 

 removed and returned to the river. These recommendations are based 

 upon observations made in the distribution of the perch, the eggs of 

 which are often seen adhering to the sides of the distributing cans. 



Centkal Statiox, Washinutox, D. C. (S. G. Worth, Supeuintendent). 



As in previous years, the hatching of the eggs of the shad secured 

 in the Potomac Eiver was conducted at this station. While the num- 

 ber received was small, for reasons stated in the Bryan Point Station 

 report, the quality was better than ever before known. The following- 

 table gives a comparison of the development of the eggs of the shad 

 secured on the Potomac Eiver during the past eight years: 



Including developed eggs tran.stVrred to cars for hatching en route to distant waters. 



As in several years past, the eggs were placed on trays and trans- 

 ferred from the collecting station to Central Station by steamer. The 

 field stations being from 12 to 14 miles below Washington, the eggs 

 were thus kept out of Avater several hours. 



