cE 
BATTERY ISLAND STATION, MARYLAND (W, DE C, RAVENEL, SUPERINTENDENT). 
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The superintendent having been assigned to temporary duty in con- 
nection with the Columbian Exposition, the services of Mr. E. M. Rob- 
inson, a former employee, were engaged for conducting shad operations 
during April, May, and June. On April 25 spawn-takers entered the 
field, but the extremely cold winter preceding caused the season to be 
a backward one, and the water remained cool throughout the period of 
operations. In addition to the low temperatures, freshets filled the 
water with driftwood, fishermen being unable to operate much of the 
time. The worst visitation by muddy water occurred May 6, which 
was in the middle of the period when eggs are most abundant. As a 
result of unfavorable conditions, collections were very light between 
April 30 and May 10. Results are shown, by months, below: 
Retained 
Eggs Eggs Lost in Fry Per cent 
Month. collected. iden tarrod. nan ran g. station. produced. | hatched. 
BUST RR GE Beige eee eeeieeisrc 7, 707, 000 553,000 | 7,154,000 | 38,615,000 | 3,539, 000 49.4 
OOO so 2S ateo ses GsageraaaBe 43, 341,000 | 2,695,000 | 40, 646,000 | 15, 678, 000 | 24, 968, 000 61.4 
SPT Cm ane ci acisisrsiclaln/sin) wiata’e's ciel STO NOUG = s08 werebs paste 3,779,000 | 1,141,000 | 2, 638, 000 69.8 
Total for season......... 54, 827,000 | 3, 248,000 | 51,579, 000 | 20, 434, 000 | 31, 145, 000 60.3 
Of eggs shipped, 553,000 were transferred to Central Station by mes- 
senger April 28, to be used in making up a shipment for the illustration 
of hatching methods at the World’s Fair. There were shipped by car 
No. 3, 1,708,000 for the waters of the Congaree River, South Carolina, 
the eggs being hatched en route. An additional consignment of 987,000 
was made by car No. 3 to Dighton, Mass., for streams there, the fry 
-being hatched on the car. Low temperature of water prevented eggs 
_ from developing in the time usually required, many remaining unhatched 
for ten or twelve days, and the fry from such, being too weak for distant 
transportation, were liberated in waters adjacent. Those so liberated 
amounted to 10,874,000. 
The water temperatures from April 25 to June 6, compiled from ob- 
servations morning, noon, and night, are set forth below: 
Month. Max Min Mean 
ME Ee etna saci eee aini seine ants 2 crea alate a motata mainte siatere's, 21s aterm wisfatera(aiaip clots 54 42} 49.7 
Fao EOC OTE GSE Soe a ae CE OIG TD op aI TAL emer UE NCE PN 70 51| 60.1 
BUTEA eke oe eee ce eho ria Savers Gers Sets ce ae bree bichelaoicaielalaw’s suis aitlawiselale vee s'ew eine 75 64 | 69.5 
It was noted that carp were very abundant in the waters, and sey- 
eral reports of large numbers captured were brought in. On May 31 
there was a capture of 2,700 pounds reported in a single haul of a seine. 
On June 9 the temporary employees were dispensed with, operations 
ceasing, and on June 26, property having been inventoried and stored, 
the station was turned over to R, A. Davis, custodian. 
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