THE SEA FISHERIES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 163 



This experiment of artificial hatching could be adopted very readily 

 on the south coast of New England, iu connection with fisheries of 

 scup, tautog, and sea bass, especially as all these fish are greatly in 

 demand and are taken in great numbers in the fish pouuds and traps 

 of the southern coast during the months of April, May, June, and July. 

 The sea bass especially spawn very largely during the latter period. 

 An ample supply of scup could easily be obtained during the spawn- 

 ing season, and if necessary the tautog and sea bass could be kept in 

 pens until ripe. These fish are very frequently kept for weeks, or 

 even months, waiting the call of the market, and as they are very hardy, 

 it would not injure them at all for market purposes to strip them of 

 their spawn at the proper time. The eggs of this fish probably hatch 

 out very quickly ; in the tautog, indeed, an embryonic development of 

 the egg is said to take place before it is laid, so that not unfrequently 

 some of the eggs squeezed out into a bucket of water will hatch out 

 almost immediately. In an experiment of artificial impregnation and 

 hatching of the sea bass, prosecuted at ISToank, Conn., in 1874, there 

 was reason to conclude that the period of development did not exceed 

 one week. 



The pound-nets frequently take great numbers of spawning mack- 

 erel, which might also be manipulated ; and there is no reason why the 

 sheepshead might not be treated in a similar manner, nor, indeed, why 

 the process might not be extended to such species as the cod. The 

 striped bass is a fish that promises ample success in such an experi- 

 ment as soon as we can succeed in taking it in sufficient numbers. At 

 least some spawning fish are found in the rivers at the same time with 

 the shad and herring; whether simply in pursuit of this prey or iu 

 search of a spawning- ground is not yet ascertained. In 1873 the parties 

 of the U. S. Fish Commission engaged in hatching shad in the Eoanoke 

 Eiver succeeded in taking several ripe striped bass, from one of which 

 100,000 eggs were successfully taken and hatched. The eggs are smaller 

 than those of the shad, although similar to them iu being non-adhesive 

 and in being hatched out in a short time. 



The principal difficulty iu regard to the multiplication of the sea fish 

 by artificial means is iu the arrangements necessary for the care and 

 preparation of the egg. The ordinary hatching establishments used 

 for trout and salmon are not available since salt water is required for 

 the purpose. It is true that this might be pumped up by means of a 

 wind-mill or otherwise into tanks, and allowed to trickle into the hatch- 

 ing troughs, and thus produce the necessary current. Even if this could 

 be done, however, the limits of space and the comparatively small num- 

 ber of fish that could be obtained will probably render it expedient to 

 adopt some other method. 



The first suggestion would be the employment of the floating-box, as 

 constructed by Seth Green, E. A. Brackett, and others, and used in the 

 hatching of shad. A serious difficulty, however, is in the danger of 



