REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XLI 



Bayside, within a radius of 20 miles, the problem of securing ripe fish 

 alive is more difticult than would appear at first glance. Over 50 per 

 cent of the female fish caught are dead when brought to the butchering 

 float, usually because they are hooked in vital spots when pulled into 

 the boat, causing them to bleed to death within a short time. Of over 

 200 sturgeon which were butchered while Mr. Harron was at Delaware 

 City, three-fourths were with hard roe, two were overripe, four had 

 spawned, and two were apparently nearly ripe. Although this year's 

 work was unsuccessful, it is believed that, with the cooperation of the 

 fishermen, who are deeply interested in this question, and by taking up 

 the work on the 1st of May, better results can be secured another season. 

 An auxiliary station was established on the Missisquoi Eiver, Ver- 

 mont, and on Lake Champlain, with the view to propagating the lake 

 sturgeon; but the eftbrts resulted in failure, though much valuable 

 experience was gained, which, it is believed, will result in obtaining a 

 fair number of eggs next season. A full report of this work is pub- 

 lished under the abstract from Cape Vincent station, 



EXPOSITION AT OMAHA. 



The Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, which was in 

 progress at the close of the fiscal year, terminated October 31. At the 

 approach of warm weather, during the latter part of June, the fishes 

 in the aquarium supplied with ordinary river Avater began to show 

 signs of disease. It was found that the water, although filtered before 

 being used, was charged with injurious parasites and the spores of 

 fungus; and at one time it was thought. that it would be necessary to 

 abandon certain jjarts of the exhibit, as the loss was very heavy. Sev- 

 eral remedies were tried, including a weak solution of alcohol, but the 

 most eftective was ordinary Turks Island salt, li sacks per day being 

 required when the disease was at its height. By a liberal use of salt 

 and by restocking the aquarium, the exhibit of native fishes was 

 kept in an excellent condition to the close of the season. That part of 

 the fresh water exhibit comprising the trouts and salmons was a very 

 attractive feature throughout the exposition. By means of an ice 

 machine cold water was abundantly supplied during the heated term. 

 The maximum temperature in the trout and salmon tanks during the 

 month of June was 60°, with a minimum of 51'° and a mean temperature 

 of between 54° and 55°; whereas in the other tanks, which were sup- 

 plied with ordinary river water, the temperature reached 91°. These 

 fish were shipped from the Fish Commission stations in Colorado, 

 Michigan, Iowa, and Missouri. 



The salt-water exhibit, which had opened with a fine display of the 

 important economic food-fishes of the New England coast, did not prove 

 as satisfactory as was anticipated, many of the best specimens dying at 

 the approach of warm weather. In making an exhibit of this character^ 

 it will be hereafter necessary to provide for keeping the temperature of 

 the water below the danger mark in localities like Omaha. This exhibit 

 was finally abandoned in August, and fresh-water fishes substituted. 



