11 



cess of the U. S. Commission at Jackson's City two years 

 previous, indicated that as a proper point later in the season. 

 We are indebted to the U. S. Commissioner for the details 

 on the success of his operations, Tahle "^A." 



In visiting the several fishing shores during tjic fishing- 

 season, we explained the object of the commission, and when 

 ripe fish could be obtained, illustrated the manipulation of 

 the spawn; we found the fishermen hopeful of the results. 

 As it may be a matter of much interest to those who have 

 not had an opportunity of seeing our operations, we give a 

 detail descrijDtion of the process, and the kind of apparatus 

 used. We are indebted to tlie Keport of the United States 

 Commissioner tor this description of the "Setli Green shad 

 liatching box," which was used by us during the season of 

 1875, and as the methods employed were substantially the 

 same, as those described by Professor Milner in the Report of 

 the United States Commission, we reproduce his concise des- 

 cription, viz : 



'"The api)aratus devised by i\Ir. Green was merely a light 

 pine box, 22 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 12 inches deep; 

 the bottom was wire cloth, al^out twenty wires to the inch. 

 It was used without a cover. On the ends of the box, two 

 pieces of two by four scantling were nailed diagonally to the 

 lines of the box, so that floating in the water it was slightly 

 tilted, the side of the box sunk to the least depth, being up 

 stream, so that the wire screen bottom was presented to the 

 current at a «light angle^ sufiicient to produce a circulation 

 of the water inside of the box, that kept the light shad eggs 

 in gentle motion. In a sluggish tide current the floats are 

 usually nailed on so that from the upper edge of the box to 

 the top of the float in front, there is a distance of 5 inches, 

 and from the upper edge of the box to the top of the float 

 behind, there is 2A inches. The angle of the floats is, of 

 course, less for a more rapid current, the object being to pro- 

 duce a current that will move the eggs as gently as possible, 

 a more rapid motion being regarded as injurious, especially 

 in the later stages of development when it materially hastens 

 the rupture of the shell membrane, and eifects a too prema- 

 ture birth. The wire screen bottom is coated with coal tar, 

 or what is better, asphaltura varnish, both for the purpose of 



