LXIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



in November consignments of brook trout, Scotch sea trout, steelbead 

 trout, rainbow trout, quinnat salmon, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic salmon 

 domesticated, and landlocked salmon were received from Craig Brook 

 and Wytbeville stations. These were carried until April 30 without 

 material loss, when a heavy mortality ensued through the use of an 

 excessive amount of alum in filtering the water. A few hundred of tbe 

 rainbow, steelbead, and brook trout were saved, but they succumbed 

 in June, when the water temperature reached 81°. 



The large-mouthed black bass on hand at the close of the fiscal year 

 have been in the aquarium for two years. When transferred from the 

 Fish Commission ponds in June, 1896, they were between 2 and 3 inches 

 long. They now measure from 9 to 12 inches. 



The exhibit this year has been much more satisfactory than for sev- 

 eral years previous, owing to the renewal of the salt-water supply and 

 the installation of a large filter, which affords an abundance of clear 

 water for the fresh-water specimens. The Salmonidw, the basses, and 

 most of the salt-water species are fed principally on round beefsteak, 

 but their diet is varied from time to time by the use of live minnows. 



The following is a list of the marine and fresh-water fishes and crus- 

 taceans exhibited during the year: 



Fish Commission Ponds (Dr. R. Hessel, Superintendent). 



As large numbers of young bass were destroyed by the Notonecia and 

 the Ditiscus during the spring and summer of 1896, the crop available 

 for distribution in the fall was smaller than that of the previous year, 

 though operations had been conducted on a larger scale. During Sep- 

 tember and October 14,222 large-mouthed bass, 1,837 small-mouthed 

 bass, and 779 crappie were shipped. 



Early in April the breeding bass were transferred from the retaining- 

 ponds to the spawning-beds in the north and south ponds and Nos. 6 

 and 7, the south pond being devoted exclusively to the small-mouthed 

 variety. Artificial nests were placed in convenient places, and also 

 piles of gravel for making natural nests. The first nests with eggs 

 were discovered in the south pond on April 26, and on the following 

 day a number of nests containing eggs were noted in the north pond. 



