FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 87 



troughs, and it then passes into the ponds. Another spring 

 supplies the lower floor of the hatchery, which has nine troughs 

 and hatching tables, on which twenty-five McDonald jars can 

 be placed, and either salt or fresh water turned into them. 



The fresh-water supply is capable of running more troughs 

 than we now use, but the floor surfaces of the buildings will 

 not permit them. The salt water which is within three hun- 

 dred yards at low tide, is pumped into a reservoir on the hill 

 and led into the buildings through a two-inch iron pipe, so 

 that practically the sea is above us. The density of. the water is 

 sufficient to hatch codfish and oysters, and many oysters were 

 hatched here last season by order of Mr. E. G. Blackford, of 

 the New York Fish Commission, who is in charge of the oys- 

 ter investigations of the State, an account of which is given in 

 another paper. We have successfully hatched shad in the spring 

 water here, and may repeat the experiment this year. It is 

 now three years since w^e began work here, and our last sea- 

 son's work will foot up to about six millions of fry of different 

 species, hatched and distributed. 



Cold Spring Harbor, N. ¥., April lo, 1886. 



The Chairman. — The treasurer's report has not yet been read, 

 and perhaps that should be read now. If the gentlemen will 

 listen the secretary will read the report of the treasurer. 



After the reading, it was moved and seconded that the report 

 of the treasurer be accepted and placed on file. Carried. 



The Chairman. — Article IV. of the Constitution, which was 

 adopted to-day, provides that the regular meeting of the Society 

 shall be held once a year, the time and place being decided upon 

 at the previous meeting, or in default of such action, by the ex- 

 ecutive committee. It will, therefore, devolve upon this meet- 

 ing to determine the time and place of the next meeting of the 

 Society. Will any gentleman present make a suggestion in 

 regard to that matter ? 



Mr. ToMLiN. — Before this matter comes up there is (uie resolu- 

 tion here I would like to read and get an expression of opinion 

 of the gentlemen present. Yesterday the preponderance of the 

 evidence brought before us showed that it was better to propa- 



