77 



was takeu from a dead iisli caught at the same time as the 

 iemale used; in the other it was taken several liours before, 

 from a live fisli, ancol kept in a Lottie nntil wanted, we liad 

 other females, and no milt, so took the eggs dry, and kept 

 them in an open j)an nntil milt was obtained, in one lionr 

 and a half the two pans thus treated, did better than either 

 ot those referred to above; a large percentage impregnating. 

 I deem the preservation of eggs much less difficult tlian that 

 of milt. In both a moderately low temperature is favorable, 

 if not essential. No ripe femal(\s from (Uir own haul. Eggs 

 from gillers 125,000. 



June 1st. — Morning haul took twenty-tliree; no ripe i\'- 

 males and but few ripe males. Bottled a small amount of 

 milt. Our experience had led us to hope for little from our 

 midnight Iraul, so we determined to try the giilers again; 

 we found the Shad running freely and several ripe ones iust 

 caught. Mr. Wroten obtained one male whicli he used for 

 one pan; the ((uantity was so small tliat very few eggs im- 

 pregnated. Not finding any more males, I stripped the rest 

 of the females, and preserved tiie spawn in dry pans, hoping 

 to obtain milters from our regular haul. h\ order to avoid 

 injury to the spawn from a sudden change of temperature, 

 the air being very mucli colder tlian the vs'ater,. 1 placed the 

 pans wliicli vs'ere to receive it in otlier }>ans partially filled 

 witli water. We were obliged to wait from 9.30 P. M. to 

 12.30 for milt. One haul yielded only forty-three fish. The 

 majority females but none ripe; the milt lh3wed less freel\- 

 than was desirable, but we had to use such as we could get. 

 The results were favorable, a large percentage of the eggs 

 developing. I omitted to state tliat tlio milt taken tlirough 

 the day turned out badly, probably owing to tlie fact that in 

 taking it some blood and excrement dropped into the bottle. 

 It w^as tested on a hundred or more good eggs. The esti- 

 mate of number of eggs taken is 225;000. 



June 2nd. — Noon liaul caught sixty-tliree; three-fourths 

 females; all unripe except one; eggs all dead; took some 

 milt and bottled it. 



June 3rd. — Caught fourteen, none ripe. 



