28 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
temporarily, and as a result the Gloucester station was enabled to dis- 
tribute 97,200,000 lobster fry, the largest product of this species in 
the history of the station. While the mortality among the lobsters in 
the pound was great, the unusually severe winter was particularly 
unfavorable for the experiment, conducted as it was in a small shallow 
pound. Persons in Portland and Boston who impound lobsters on the 
coast of Maine reported an unusually heavy loss in stock and attributed 
it to the intensely cold and stormy weather. 
More than three-fourths of the lobsters impounded for this experi- 
ment were of Nova Scotia origin. During the spring months the 
Maine lobster dealers send both sailing and steam smacks to Nova 
Scotia to secure cargoes, and this work is continued until June, when 
interrupted by the close season in Nova Scotia. Upon arrival on the 
Maine coast nearly all of the lobsters are impounded and held for the 
high prices of the summer trade, and as they lay their eggs while 
confined in the warm water of these inclosures, large numbers of 
egg-bearing lobsters are taken out. The stock for this experiment 
was obtained at the time the impounded stock of the fishermen was 
transferred preparatory to being marketed. 
In making the collection of lake-trout eggs in Lakes Superior and 
Michigan the extremely cold weather and high winds prevailing the 
greater part of the season frequently prevented the lifting of nets for 
several days in succession, and considerably reduced the quantity of 
eges collected. Many of the eggs became water hardened before they 
were fertilized, while others were frosted in the spawning tanks. 
Another obstacle to the success usually attending this work was the 
interference of the Michigan game warden, who claimed the right to 
supervise the Bureau’s operations during the close season. It is the 
practice to employ tugs, engaged in commercial fishing, for the pur- 
pose of collecting spawning fish in these waters, and in the controversy 
the work of these tugs was interrupted for several days. The question 
was appealed to the courts, which enjoined further interference on the 
part of the game warden; but the time lost was sufficient to materially 
affect the quantity of eggs taken. 
It is necessary to record also that the output of white-fish on the 
Great Lakes was much below that of the two previous years. On the 
other hand, this shortage is largely compensated for in the fact that 
the output of pike perch exceeded that of any previous year in the 
history of the Bureau, Put-in Bay station alone producing 244,275,000 
eges and fry. 
The work of propagating the small-mouthed black bass, begun last 
year, has been continued experimentally at several stations with very 
encouraging results, and it is believed it will be possible another year 
to meet all demands for this very desirable game fish. Its propaga- 
tion has now been taken up at Northville, Mich.; White Sulphur 
