LXXXIV EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



7,000,000 others). The water continued cold, and very little being ac- 

 complished, the vessel was moved higher up the river, to Glymont, May 

 7, where it was continuously engaged until the 28th of May, when it re- 

 turned to the navy -yard. On the 8th of May Lieutenant Wood reported 

 having taken 12,000,000 eggs of herring, 60,000 of perch, and 7,000 of 

 shad. 



Fort Washington Station. — This station was placed in charge of Lieut. 

 William C. Babcock, U. S. ]Sravy, and the Secretary of War having 

 given the desired permission to occupy the grounds and buildings, 

 the work began April 14. Some difficulty was found in inducing the 

 fishermen to co-operate. Mr, L. G. Harron was permitted to fish the 

 Fort Washington shore on condition of supplying eggs to the Commis- 

 sion, The fishing shores of Moxley's and Brant's Points, Ferry Land- 

 ing, and White House were visited regularly during the season, which 

 on the whole was a bad one, being interrupted by rains and change of 

 temperature of the water. Lieutenant Babcock, however, was able to 

 obtain 21,850,000 eggs. The first eggs, 64,000 in number, were taken 

 April 14, The greatest number of any one day (1,140,000) were taken 

 May 19, On the 21st of May Mr. Harron violated his contract and 

 withdrew his seine, when it became necessary for the Commission to 

 jiut its own net into the water and to haul it during the remainder of 

 the season. This was done very successfully, and a larger average of 

 shad were taken in it than had been taken in Mr. Harron's seine. The 

 last eggs taken during the season were 15,000, June 10, when seining 

 was discontinued 5 and on the 13th all of the eggs were transferred 

 to Central Station, as during the early portion of the season the river 

 steamers were depended upon for transportation. After the 8th of May 

 the Lookout was at the disposition of Lieutenant Babcock, and enabled 

 him to turn the eggs over much more promptly to be hatched. Lieu- 

 tenant Babcock was assisted by Mr. John Lucket, in charge of the seine, 

 and by Mr, James Carswell, who had immediate charge of the spawn- 

 takers. His report will be found in the appendix. 



Central Station. — This station was used for hatching the eggs sent up 

 from Fort Washington. The young fish when ready for shipment were 

 transferred directly from the hatching apparatus to the cars. This was 

 great saving of time and of risk and expense of removal by wagons. 



Battery Island Station. — The arrangement of the grounds, buildings, 

 and other improvements made at this island for the purpose of utilizing 

 the extensive fisheries m the vicinity, were quite fully described in the 

 report for 1882. 



The management of this station for 1883 was placed in charge of 

 Lieut. W. F. Low, U. S. N,, who was furnished with a seine 906 fath- 

 oms in length, to be operated by steam, and a force of 30 men. On 

 the 19th of April the first shad eggs, 25,000, were secured, and other 

 were obtained on the following day. From the 22d to the 27th of 

 April it was impossible to accomplish anything ; after that, however, 



