Alexander. — The Paddle-fish 77 



discussion. 



Mh. Titcomb, of Vermont: May I inquire if you have been success- 

 ful in propagating the spoonbill?' 



Mb. Alexandeb: We have not made any attempt at propagating 

 this fish so far. 



Pbof. Dyche, of Kansas: I should like to know if you have suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining the eggs of the spoonbill? If you have, you have 

 found something entirely new to science. 



Mb. Alexandeb: I am inclined to bank you can locate the eggs of 

 the spoonbill in the waters to which I have called attention. We have 

 frequent reports of the small fish, measuring an inch or two up. In 

 the shallow waters of the lakes, and in the spawning season, these fishes 

 are seen in large schools around the borders of the lakes, which would 

 indicate that they are there for the purpose of depositing their eggs. 



Pbesident Wabd: There is only one case recorded in the literature 

 of anyone having had what is known to be a ripe female of this species. 

 Are you sure that these females are really ripe and ready to discharge 

 the eggs? 



Mr. Alexander: There is no question about that in the latter part 

 of February. Mr. E. A. Tulian, the head of our Fisheries Depart- 

 ment, told me that they had stripped a number of them. I do not 

 know to what extent scientific men have carried on their search for 

 these eggs, but I am inclined to think they have been making their 

 investigations in the wrong territory. I know of none made in our 

 waters. We will be glad to place every means within our power at 

 their disposal if they will come to us.* 



The eggs of the spoonbill are manufactured into caviar, probably 

 sold as Russian caviar. We buy our own eggs back again in this form. 



* On account of the importance of this discovery the Editor took 

 occasion to write to Mr. Alexander after the presentation of his paper, 

 for further data in regard to the eggs of this fish. Mr. Alexander 

 writes in part, "It is possible that only a limited number of eggs could 

 be secured and fertilized, owing to the apparent scarcity of ripe males 

 during the spawning season at White Lake. Our investigations there 

 covered only a few days during the latter part of February, the last 

 few of March and the first few of April, 1914. The operations conducted 

 by us at this point show that a very small portion of the total number 

 of females caught during February contained ripe eggs. Most of 

 these taken during the latter part of March and the first few days 

 of April had either partly or entirely deposited their eggs. However, 

 two or three females contained eggs which were not fully matured. 

 Only two or three nearly ripe males and no spent ones were taken 

 during our February operations, while we found only spent males the 

 last of March. Up to the present time, so far as we know, no ripe 

 eggs of the paddlefish have been found in any of the fish taken from 

 the rivers of our State to which they are indigenous, although the 

 young, not over five or six inches in length, are often seen in the Little, 

 Tensas, Ouachita and Black Rivers early in the spring, so we are told. 

 It is probable that these are hatched in Catahoula Lake. Our experi- 

 ments with this species were conducted by the head of our Fisheries 

 Department, Mr. E, A. Tulian. 



In view of these and other facts I feel confident that T have made 

 no claims that we cannot substantiate." 



Zoologists will await further information on this matter with interest. 



Editor. 



