718 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONEE OF FISH Al^D FISHERIES. 



D.— HATCHING OPERATIONS. 



1. — OBJECTS OF THE WORK. 



Fish-culture, iu its crudest forms, was first employed by the Eomans 

 and Chinese many hundred years ago; but the fish-culture of the present 

 day, by which such excellent results are being obtained, is a science of 

 recent growth, and it is only within the past few years that it has as- 

 sumed a thoroughly in'actical aspect. Its present condition is the residt 

 of a continued series of experiments that have given a degree of success 

 far beyond what its most enthusiastic workers had dared to expect. 



The present shad-hatching apparatus, that seems so near perfection, 

 is an excellent example ; for in this case, though the progress has been 

 rapid, the crude apparatus of a few years ago has been replaced by the 

 new only after the most careful experiments with the eggs of the species. 

 So with other fresh-water and anadromous species ; the improved appa- 

 ratus for successfully hatching them is the result of many experiments 

 and observations. 



But, while the above species have been the subjects of careful study, 

 the important marine food-fishes, such as the cod, halibut, and sea-her- 

 ring, have remained unnoticed. The great importance of these fisheries 

 has led Professor Baird to consider carefully the question of the artificial 

 propagation of several of the principal species, and, after studying the 

 habits and food of the fish for ^ some time, he decided to inaugurate a 

 series of experiments to ascertain what could be accomplished in this 

 direction. 



Accordingly, a hatching station was established at Gloucester iu the 

 fall of 1878 for the piui)Ose of experimenting with the eggs of the cod, 

 iu order to learn how and in what numbers they might be obtained, the 

 kind of apparatus necessary for successfully hatching them, and to what 

 extent artificial propagation might be made practicable. The chief aim 

 was then to study exj^erimentally the whole subject of hatching in its 

 relations to the cod-fish and its eggs, to pave the way for future work, 

 rather than to go into any extensive work for the immediate propaga- 

 tion of the species. 



2. — PREPARATIONS FOR HATCH IN' O. 



The late James TT. Milner, deputy commissiouer, arrived early in the 

 faU to take charge of the experiments, and Mr. Prank N. Clark, a pro- 

 fessional fish-culturist in the employ of the Commission, came soon after 

 to personally superintend the work in the hatching-room. Mr. Milner 

 remained long enough to see the preliminary apparatus and machinery 

 placed in position and the first eggs taken, when he was obliged to 

 return to Washington on account of his serious sickness. A little later 

 Mr. Clark was called away to look after the interests of the Commission 

 in another State, and Capt. H. C. Chester superintended the work iu the 

 hatchery during the remainder of the season. 



