422 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [28] 
kins at once manifested a lively interest in the experiments, and 
assisted us in every possible way, accompanying us to the fishing station 
and helping in the examination of the fish. During our stay the weather 
was somewhat stormy, and the pounds could not be fished with any reg- 
ularity. This interfered greatly with the results, as the mackerel seem 
to throw all their ripe eggs when remaining long in confinement. Plenty 
of males were seen with the milt running, but no thoroughly ripe females 
were secured. 
16.—CONFIRMATION OF EXPERIMENTS. 
Early in July the fish-hatching steamer Lookout, under the direction of 
Maj. T. B. Ferguson, proceeded down the bay, and made a number of ex- 
periments with the eggs of the species, all of which confirmed the results 
of my own observation. Mr. John A. Ryder, the embryologist of the Com- 
mission, accompanied the party, and, having a good microscope at hand, 
he improved the opportunity for making drawings of the embryos in 
different stages of development. Both Major Ferguson and Mr. Ryder 
watched the development of the species with considerable interest, and 
carried some of the young fry to Saint Jerome Creek, where their subse- 
quent growth could be carefully studied.* 
17.— PRACTICAL RESULTS. 
The experiments conducted by us naturally lead to the conclusion that 
the artificial propagation of Spanish mackerel is not only possible, but 
entirely practicable. The fish are very abundant in certain sections from 
the first of June until late in September, giving excellent opportunities 
for examination and study. 'he spawning season also lasts during sev- 
eral months, giving time for extensive operations; while the fact that the 
eggs are deposited gradually during a long period renders it highly 
*Tn the summer of 1881 a station was established at Cherrystone, Va., on the eastern 
shore of Chesapeake Bay, a few miles above Cape Charles, for the purpose of making 
a further study of the Spanish mackerel. The work was at first conducted by Lieut. 
Z.L. Tanner, of the Fish Commission steamer Fish Hawk, and Jater by Colonel Mc- 
Donald and Mr. Ryder. The Jast-named gentleman gave his attention to a most 
thorough and systematic study of the embryology of the mackerel. The advance 
sheets of Mr. Ryder’s report come to us as this article is going to press, and are there- 
fore too late to warrant us in making any extended quotations. We, however, take 
pleasure in referring the reader to the forthcoming Bulletin of the United States Fish 
Commission,“in which it will appear. 
In this report it is stated that comparatively few eggs were secured at the Cherrystone 
Station, and that, owing to defective apparatus, not more than 25 per cent. of any lot 
were hatched. He thinks that the spawning-grounds of the mackerel are farther up 
the bay, and that the eggs are deposited only at night. He does not give the temper- 
ature of the water in which the eggs were hatched, but says that the time required 
for the development of the embryo after the egg had been fertilized was 24 hours. 
He further states that the young fish begin feeding on the third day after they leave 
the egg, as traces of food were found in their stomachs at this time. Though unable 
to identify the food, he thinks it to be composed of several species of small articulates, 
animals that abound in the water in mid-summer. The microscope revealed the pres- 
ence of teeth in the jaws at the end of the first week. 
