XXV -REPORT ON THE SHAD WORK OF THE STEAMER LOOK- 

 OUT DURING THE SEASON OF 1886. 



By Mate James A. Smith, U. S. N., Commanding. 



The work in gathering, transferring, and hatching the spawn and 

 depositing the fry of shad, performed by the U. S. Fish Commission 

 steamer Lookout during the season of 188G, covered the time from April 

 27 .to May 23, inclusive. The greater part of the eggs obtained came 

 from the Delaware Eiver, but about one-third were gathered at the 

 northern end of Chesapeake Bay and its inflowing streams. Most of 

 the eggs were transferred to Battery Station or to the Fish Hawk, 

 while some were hatched on board and deposited from the Lookout. 

 During the season 3,000,000 fry were received from Battery Station and 

 deposited in the tributaries of the Upper Chesapeake. 



The season's work began on April 27 in the mouth of the Susquehanna 

 Eiver, where the floats and gill-boats were visited, but no ripe spawn 

 was obtained. On the 29th received 500,000 shad fry from Battery 

 Station and deposited them in the mouth of North East Biver. From 

 the gill-boats in this vicinity obtained 520,000 eggs, which were trans- 

 ferred the next day to Battery Station. On the 30th left this station, 

 passed through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to the Delaware 

 River, communicated with some of the fishing-shores, and late at night 

 anchored off Gloucester City, N. J., a few miles below Philadelphia, 

 which was a convenient point from which to visit many of the most im- 

 portant shad fisheries in the river. 



On May 3 went to Wilmington, Del., for the purpose of having some 

 repairs made, but returned to the spawn-taking work on the river dur- 

 ing the afternoon. On the 5th the Fish Hawk arrived, and the Look- 

 out received orders to co-operate with her in gathering spawn, in 

 obedience to which, the work was carried on conjointly for several days. 

 On the 8th passed through the canal to Chesapeake Bay, and proceeded 

 to Battery Station. 



On May 10 Commissioner S. F. Baird and Assistant Commissioner 

 T. B. Ferguson came on board at Havre de Grace, and were taken to 

 Battery Station. All the eggs obtained during the last few days were 

 transferred to the station, and several deposits were made on that and 

 subsequent days in the Susquehanna, North East, and Sassafras Rivers, 

 of fry received from the station. Many of the fishing-shores and gil!- 

 ers in this region were visited almost dady, but comparatively small 

 numbers of eggs were taken, as the shad were becoming scarce, and 

 these were duly transferred to the station. On the 15th proceeded to 

 Baltimore. 



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