[3] SHAD OPERATIONS AT FORT WASHINGTON, MD., IN 1884. 191 



The Wasliin/^tou market was supplied with shad lioiu Now York 

 towards the end of the season. 



Sti'ong northwest winds are not regarded with favor by Potomac fish- 

 ermen ; they prefer moderate winds from tlie south and east. From 

 the meteorological report, Table I, which accompanies this, it will be 

 seen that the winds from tlKTnorthwest were generally very strong, 

 often preventing fishing at all. After heavy rains there is frequently a 

 current in the river; this puts a stop to gill-net fishing, and also pre- 

 vents many of the seines from being hauled. 



From April 9 to May 1 the steam launch made daily trips to the 

 fishing shores as far down as Cliapman's Point, collecting the fish eggs 

 and running them to the hatchery at Washington the same night. 

 This was found to be such a task for so small a boat that, on the 1st 

 of May, the steamer Fish Hawk anchored oft Mount Vernon, Virginia, 

 and with her steam launch tended Chapman's and all the gillers in that 

 neighborhood. Two of the spawn-taking force from Fort Washington 

 were quartered on board the Fish Hawk, tending Ferry Lauding and 

 White House daily whilie the seines were being hauled. 



The eggs collected at these two idaces were taken to Fort Washing- 

 ton, there placed on trays for transi)ortation, and sent at once to the 

 htitcbery. Later in the season the steamer Fish Hawk shipped several 

 lots of eggs on trays after they had been partially developed in water. 

 This seems to be much the best plan ; it is far easier to transport the 

 eggs than the fry. Except for such fish as are tQ be i)laced in adjacent 

 waters, ships seem ill adapted for hatching purposes. AVherever it can be 

 done it is preferable to establish a station with a steady flow and pressure 

 of water. It has been found better to clean the eggs in jars before trans- 

 portation, if possible; shad eggs trans[)ort best just after impregnation, 

 or about twelve hours after this, when segmentation has entirely taken 

 place. Later on, a plan for doing this woik will be submitted in detail, 

 with the cost. 



Herring were numerous about May IC, but disappeared entirely 

 after that date. Only one lot of herring eggs (3,000,000 in number) 

 was taken during the season, and these did not hatch out. Instruc- 

 tions were issued to the spawn-takers to try to collect them on straws 

 or grass after development, but there was no opportunity for testing 

 this. The idea was, by making the conditions as near to those of nature 

 as possible, to prevent the eggs from collecting together in i)utrifying 

 masses during the hatching. 



On May 12 the Bryan's Point seine cut out; on May 15, Mockley's 

 Point; on May 20, White House; on May 22, Tent Landing; on May 

 23, Ferry Lauding. This wms considerably earlier than last year. It 

 was our exi)ectation to pen the males caught at Fort Washington and 

 use their milt in case the gillers should not find an e<iual proportion of 

 each sex; but on the 27th instant, having caught nothing in the seine 

 for several days, it was deemed advisable to cut ont the seine and close 



