REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. | 
Golden ide.—No results were obtained from this species, in conse- 
quence of cold weather in the first half of April, whereby the eggs 
were destroyed. 
Black bass.—From 15 black bass 34,500 young were obtained, 500 of 
which were 5 to 7 inches long, the remainder 2 to 3 inches. The larger 
and smaller ones were raised in the same pond, and it is inferred that 
difference in size was due to cannibalism. Much labor was required to 
supply food, the daily ration being about 15 pounds of fish and every 
other day 30 pounds, that quantity of live fish being obtained during 
the summer and fall in the vicinity of Observatory Hill. Small river 
fishes of no table value were secured by seines and small boats operated 
by regular employees. On September 8, the number of bass having 
been observed to be decreasing, and the small fish available as food for 
them having been greatly reduced, purchases were made of offal fish 
in the markets, 10 to 20 pounds being obtained daily. 
Shad.—Shad fry amounting to 1,989,000 received from Central Station 
in the preceding fiscal year, May 5 to 10, were placed in a rearing-pond 
of about 5 acres and held for liberation in the Potomac, effected by the 
lifting of gates December 2. The number released was about 600,000. 
The production of other species was: Leather carp, 35,000; scale carp, 
46,700; blue-leather carp, 1,700; blue-scale carp, 2,400; spotted catfish, 
1,300; tench, 356; golden ide, 398; goldfish, 9,500; black bass, 34,500. 
In December preparations were made for the next season’s spawning 
of black bass by the introduction of quantities of clean gravel into 
their spawning pond. The method of handling black bass at this 
station is to place a limited number of spawning fish in a small pond a 
few rods square in which the water is shallow, the bottom being covered 
with clean gravel, the small pond being connected with another, ten or 
twenty times as large, by means of wire screen of proper size mesh to 
permit the young to pass out. After the young have left the nest and 
obtained access to this larger and more fruitful feeding-ground they 
are safe from being eaten by their parents. In January, the Potomac 
River being filled with ice from Washington to its upper source, it was 
anticipated that a gorge would occur, resulting in the flooding of this 
station, and to avoid the loss of brood fish the ice was removed from 
14 ponds, its amount being about 500 cart loads, and the fish stored in 
the brick vats and covered with netting. No freshet occurred; but so 
much damage from frost was sustained by water-pipes and valves, the 
cross-partitions in ponds, the banks of ponds, ete., that a great portion 
of the next four weeks was occupied in repairs. 
During the later months of the year spawning by the pond fishes 
was accomplished, the results, however, only to be definitely determined 
in the fall months of the succeeding fiscal year. In furtherance of the 
practice adopted a few seasons ago, the first shad hatched at Central 
Station were delivered here for rearing in ponds, the number received 
this year, May 1 to 9, being 1,444,000. 
F, R. 93——7 
