30 



SMELT. — {0smeru9 mordax.) 



It being our earnest desire to carry out the introduction 

 into our waters of this savory little fish, which was promised 

 and recommended in our last report, we interested Mr. J. R. 

 Shotwell, one of the Commissioners of New Jersey, resident 

 at Rahway, in our behalf. 



As soon as the ice sufficiently disappeared from the Raritnn 

 river to enable the fisherman at that point to capture the 

 Smelt, Mr. Shotwell telegraphed us, and we immediately, on 

 the 13th of March, went to the Raritan, at New Brunswick, 

 and, under the guidance of Mr. Shotwell, secured at that 

 point 3,425 Smelt, which we transported successfully to this 

 State, and placed 2,125 of them in the Patapsco river, at the 

 Relay House, and 900 in the Elk river, at Elkton ; 300 we 

 took to the Hatching House at Druid Hill Park, for the pur- 

 pose of experiment, and 100 we placed in Bush river, at the 

 grounds of the Baltimore Yacht Club. 



The 300 taken to the Hatching House were ready to spawn, 

 the eggs and milt flowing freely. 



The morning after they were placed in the nursery tanks, 

 the spawn was found deposited in the troughs in large quan- 

 tities. Quarts of this spawn was placed in the hatching jars, 

 and treated with great care, having mats prepared of juniper 

 twigs to receive them. We also took quantities of the eggs 

 and milt in the usual manner. 



We were unsuccessful in our attempts, and on examination 

 found that the eggs were apparently good, but the spermato- 

 zoa in the milt were (of the milt placed under the microscope) 

 dead. The eggs looked well for two or three days, but 

 showed no sign of vitality. We are inclined to think the 

 failure was caused by the transportation of the fish just at 



