134 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [6] 



and in future we will guard against the suicidal instinct, of which we 

 have learned at so much cost. 



WHITEFISH (COREGONUS CLTJPEIFORMIS). 



One million whitefish eggs, from Northville, Mich., were presented 

 bv the U S. Fish Commission in 1883, and were hatched with a loss ot 

 only 4 per cent, or 40,000 eggs. Some of the eggs were further ad- 

 vanced than others, and the fry of these (360,000) died before it was 

 decided where to plant them. Six hundred thousand were p anted on 

 Long Island, near River Head, in Great Pond, a deep, cold l;^ke which 

 appears to present the requisite conditions for their support. In 1884 

 the same number was received, and 400,000 planted in Grea Pond 

 375 000 in Lake Eonkonkoma, in the middle of Long Island, and .o,000 

 in '' Saint John's Lake," a mill pond at Cold Spring Harbor. 



The -reat surface exposure of the reservoir at this station is favorable 

 to the fate hatching of the whitelish. The temperature of the water m 

 the hatchery for the month beginning February 23 and ending March 

 03 varied from 34o to 48o. the mean b(nng 38*0. Shipments of white- 

 fish were made in 1884 to Great Pond on February 15 and to Lake 

 Ronkonkoma on March 19. This is as late as the fish are hatched in 

 the cold lakes, and the young will find food when planted in March. 



SHAD (CLUPEA SAPIDISSIMA). 



On May 20, 1884, I received 80,000 shad eggs from Washington, in 

 compliance with my request to be allowed to experiment with them in 

 .prino- water. They were placed in the McDonald jars, and on May 29 

 there were planted in the Nissequague River, at Smithtown, Long Isl- 

 ■lud 78 000 frv. This seems to liave been the first trial of hatching this 

 fish 'in 'spring water, and as Col. M. McDonald wrote me that the suc- 

 cess privately reported might revolutionize present methods I will give 

 the details iu full. 



TMay 00 received 80,000 e..s at 6.20 p. „... put then in the jars at 7.30 p. m. Temperature of water 

 58° Fahr.,' of eggs 55°. Eggs began Iiatcbing May 24, finished May 27.] 



