12 



preserving the Avire cloth, and for a su]ipo.sod effect in retard- 

 ing confervoid groAvth. 



''As soon as the bag of the seine comes near the shore, the 

 fishermen, gathering the lead, line and. cork line in their 

 hands, gradually work it up to the top of the water, shaking 

 the fish into the bunt of the bag, a boat is brought along- 

 side, and the fish thrown into it with a scoop net, the shad 

 being at once separated from the other species. The opera- 

 tors j)rovided with ordinary six-quart milk pans containing 

 about three-fourths of an inch of water in the bottoms, are 

 in the boat, and taking up the shad one by one, detect at 

 once, by a gentle pressure on the belly of the fish if the spawn 

 is ripe by its free emission from the oviducts. In an unripe 

 one tire eggs Avill not flow at all, and if the eggs are only 

 nearly ready, the extrusion is difficult and in masses, and 

 the fish is rejected. When a female is found, from Avhich 

 the eggs flow in a liquid stream Avhen a gentle pressure is 

 applied, it is carefully taken in the hands of the ojjerator, 

 the left hand applied closely around the tail, and the head of 

 the fish crowded against his body, while with the right hand, 

 a slight pressure is applied Avitii the thumf) and finger to the 

 abdomen of the fish, and a stripping movement executed 

 Avliich causes the eggs to Aoav rapidly into the pan. As 

 soon as it is evident that the spawn is all obtained, the shad 

 is thrown into the basket, it being impossible to preserve the 

 lives of so delicate a fish, even if the utmost care is taken 

 in handling it, but though they are delicate in this particu- 

 lar, and have a very slight tenacity of life Vvdien taken from 

 the Avater, they are a very muscular fish. Experts in fish 

 culture, Avho handled the Avhito fish and salmon-trout of the 

 lakes, regard them much stronger than the same sized fishes 

 of either of the latter species, and if the utmost pains is not 

 taken to prevent their releasing themselves from the hold, 

 they Avill flounder and splash in the pan of eggs, and pro- 

 bably throAv a large portion out, and damage some of those 

 that remain. In stripping doAvn the abdomen, a great many 

 scales will be removed from the sides of the fish, these if 

 carelessly alloAved to fall in the pan, Avill be an annoyance, 

 as the eggs Avill adhere to them. They can be gathered and 

 throAvn away l)y an adroit movement of the liand, with a 



