[23] THE SPANISH MACKEREL. ANY 
that the Chesapeake was an important spawning ground for the species, 
and that the spawning season continued during the greater part of the 
summer. Colonel McDonald at once communicated these facts to Pro- 
fessor Baird by telegraph, and a little later the writer reported at Wash- 
ington in person. 
The great success that had attended the work in the hatching of shad, 
salmon, and whitefish, had definitely settled the question of the prac- 
ticability of increasing the food supply by artificial propagation. Know- 
ing the value of the Spanish mackerel, Professor Baird was anxious to 
include this in the list of fishes to be propagated by the Commission. 
It therefore became necessary to learn more about the spawning habits 
of the species, and to ascertain how and in what quantities the eggs 
could be obtained, and the kind of apparatus necessary for successfully 
hatching them. Accordingly the writer was requested to return to the 
Chesapeake to gather the necessary information, and to undertake the 
work of actually hatching the fish. 
14.—PREPARATIONS FOR THE WORK. 
It was not thought desirable to arrange for extensive experiments, 
but rather to give particular attention to the questions which bore upon 
the practicability of the artificial propagation of the species, and as 
soon as these had been settled to return to Washington, after which 
the question of extensive operations could be considered. During the 
earlier observations almost nothing had been learned regarding the 
character of the eggs, and it was necessary to again visit the spawning 
grounds before any definite ideas could be formed as to the kind of 
apparatus necessary for the work. Accordingly, on June 21, I secured 
a quantity of nickel-plated wire-cloth, and with this simple outfit started 
for the fishing grounds, intending to improvise the apparatus after reach- 
ing the Chesapeake. On a previous visit it had been ascertained that 
several pound-nets were fished in the vicinity of CrisfieldpMd., and that 
considerable quantities of mackerel were taken in them as well as in 
the gill-nets of the fishermen of Tangier Island, only a few miles dis- 
tant. Crisfield is a city of some importance on the eastern shore of the 
bay, a few miles north of the Virginia line. It was, for various: reasons, 
selected as the most available place for the experiments. 
15.—HATCHING OPERATIONS. 
Arriving at Crisfield on the morning of June 22, [ immediately called 
upon Mr. J. KE. N. Sterling, thg owner of the pound-nets, and made 
known to him the object of my visit. He at once became interested in 
the work, and, besides giving every opportunity for visiting the pounds 
and examining the fish, instructed his men to render such assistance as 
might be desired. 
S. Mis. 29-27 
