EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXXXIII 



A small consignment of salmon eggs, for experimental purposes, was 

 forwarded from California to Washington by express, arriving October 

 4. The long time they had been on the way, with perhaps insufficient 

 care in transit, caused the loss of the entire lot from overheating. 



n. The Shad (Clupea sapidissima). 



With a view of ascertaining what could be done in the southern 

 waters in the way of hatching shad, Mr. Ferguson started on board the 

 steamer Lookout, and arrived at the mouth of the Saint Mary's March 

 20, from which point he proceeded to the Saint Mary's River and 

 made a careful examination of it as far as Clark's Bluff, a distance of 

 30 miles. At this point the nets of Mr. Pierson were being fished 

 with a result on the average of^ 100 shad per day, several ripe ones 

 being found among them. Having ascertained that good hatching work 

 could be done on this river, the Lookout next proceeded to the Saint 

 John's Eiver, which was reached on the 22d of March. On the way to 

 Jacksonville many gill-nets set for sh ad were observed, but there was 

 a complaint of the scarcity of fish. Yellow Bluff, a small settlement 

 below Jacksonville, was found to be the center of the shad fishing on the 

 Saint John's Eiver. At Jacksonville the shad in the market appeared to 

 be about a week or ten days from maturity. From Jacksonville the 

 steamer proceeded to Palatka and Lake Monroe, where small shad-fish- 

 eries were found. Returning on the 27th, the vessel left Jacksonville 

 on the 28th, and after a stop at Saint Augustine arrived in Washington 

 April 19. For successful work on the Saint Mary's it was decided that 

 everything should be in readiness for operations by the 1st of March. 



During this season the following stations have been occupied for the 

 purpose of hatching shad and herring on the Potomac and Susquehanna: 

 (1) Quantico and Glymont by the Fish Hawk 5 (2) Fort Washington for 

 collecting the eggs 5 (3) Central Station for hatching eggs brought from 

 the river; (4) Battery Station, Havre de Grace. 



Quantico Station. — Having taken on board the usual shad-hatching 

 outfit the Fish Hawk, under Lieutenant Wood, left the navy-yard, April 

 12, for the mouth of Quantico Creek, for the purpose of establishing a 

 station for hatching eggs of shad, herring, perch, &c. On the next day 

 Lieutenant Wood visited the fisheries within reach, and found that 

 Budd's Ferry was not being fished at all ; that Stump Neck fishery would 

 begin shortly; that the Freestone Point fishery was in full operation 

 and doing well, 400 and 600 shad having been caught in two hauls that 

 day, as well as 10,000 herring. The fish, however, were found to be 

 unripe, and the temperature of the water 60°. There were taken, how- 

 ever, that day 50,000 eggs from a herring. On the 24th of April Lieu- 

 tenant Wood reported, that owing to a protracted rain, the temperature 

 nad fallen to 50, and had completely arrested the development of the 

 eggs in the cones. Young herring, estimated at 600,000 in number, were 

 put in the river that day (the change of temi)erature killed about 



