18 FISH COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT. [Jan., 
While engaged in this work, Messrs. Chalker and Rankin 
employed Mr. Henry J. Fenton, superintendent of the hatch- 
ing works at Poquonock, to assist them, and at the request of 
your commissioners, he kept a diary of the operations. He 
lived during the whole time at the fish house, on the shore, 
within sight of the pound and shad pens. The details of the 
work will be found in his report, which follows: 
Wednesday, July 6.—Met Messrs. Chalker and Rankin at Mr. 
Chalker’s shad pound, the place selected for the experiments, 
where there were already a few hundred shad penned up for that 
purpose in two pounds in the Sound, made of netting, where the 
shad had been confined since May 28th. We made arrangements 
to examine shad in the evening, and at 9 p. M. examined them and 
did not find any ripe fish of either sex. 
Thursday, July 7.--Temperature of water 68°. At 8 P. M. ex- 
amined shad, but found no ripe fish. 
Hriday, July 8.--Temperature of water 68°. At11P. M. exam- 
ined shad in the pens and found one ripe female, which was 
stripped, using salt water in the pans of 1,020 specific gravity. 
In a few minutes the eggs all turned opaque. We could not find 
any prime male, but at last succeeded in finding one that produced 
one drop of milt, which was very thick and gummy. It did not 
color the water in the pan a particle. The eggs looked mushy; 
they did not change any in size after taking them from the fish. 
We put them in a hatching box and left them at midnight. 
Saturday, July 9.—Temperature of water 69°. At6 A.M. we 
hauled the pound that had been fishing for two days and caught 
10 shad, 8 males and 2 females, none ripe, and put them in one of 
the pens. At 8.10 Pp. M. went out to one of the pens with Commis- 
sioner Hudson and Mr. Rankin and examined the shad. We 
found one female ripe, but the eggs looked mushy and dull in 
color, and when in the water turned opaque instantly. Could not 
find any ripe males. 
Sunday, July 10.--Temperature of the water 68°. At 11 A.M. 
went out with Commissioner Hudson and examined the box of 
eggs taken the night of the 8th, and found them all dead, as we 
expected. 
Monday, July 11.--Temperature of the water 64°. At 9.45 
A.M. examined the shad in one pen and found a female from whom 
the eggs flowed very easily. When in salt water they turned 
