KEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. LXXXV 



eggs were obtained daily, during the remainder of the seasoQ. The 

 shad caught, if not ripe enough for spawning purposes, were placed in 

 a large pool or reservoir until they became so, and were then caught 

 and stripped. On the 12th of May, Mr. Frank K Clark, of Northvilie, 

 visited this station for the purpose of observing particularly the effects 

 upon the shad of their being penned during this stage. His report will 

 be found in the appendix. His experiments appended show that the 

 female shad is extremely sensitive to the least interference with its 

 method of reproduction j and that under certain circumstances injuries 

 will result. Some of the shad with roe particularly affected as the 

 result of confinement in the pool were sent to Mr. John A. Eyder, at 

 Washington, the biologist of the Commission. He discovered certain 

 abnormal appearances with a peculiar tendency toward fluidity. He 

 decided that impregnating such ova would be out of the question. 



On the 4th of June, Lieutenant Low was relieved from duty at this 

 station, and Mr. Frank N. Clark placed in charge thereof. Lieutenant 

 Low had collected 6,363,500 eggs, had deposited in local waters 3,751,500 

 fish, and delivered to be distributed by the Fish Commission messengers 

 1,633,000 fish. 



From June 4th to June 8th Mr. Clark collected 1,096,000 eggs, from 

 which there were hatched 768,500 fish, of which 521,500 fish were planted 

 in the bay, and the rest delivered to the Fish Commission messengers.* 



A pamphlet of three pages, entitled " Inducements offered fishermen 

 to furnish shad eggs for the U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries," 

 prepared by Lieutenant Babcock, was issued to shad fishermen dur- 

 ing the season. In this, full instructions were given for stripping 

 shad and caring for the eggs. It was also stated that the necessary 

 apparatus would be furnished upon application to the Armory building 

 in Washington and on board the steamers, and that a liberal price 

 would be paid to the gillers, pound-net, and seine fishermen for eggs 

 taken according to the instructions and delivered on board the steamers 

 of the Commission as they made their daily trips. The instructions 

 were also published in the Bulletin of the Fish Commission, vol. ii, page 

 389. 



This season the experiment of shipping shad eggs by express on trays 

 covered with wet cloths was first tried by Colonel McDonald. A lot of 

 eggs thus sent to S. G. Worth, Ealeigh, IST. C, reached their destination 

 in excellent condition. 



*Tlie shad fisheries of Havre de Grace in 1883 were reported to have given occu- 

 pation to 259 men, 6 engines, and 15 horses, using 4,217 fathoms of seine. The num- 

 her of shad taken was 46,967. These were sold mostly in Philadelphia, the Balti- 

 more market being supplied by day fishermen. In addition to the shad which were 

 seined, 16,500 were caught in gill-nets, making a. total for Havre de Grace of 62,967 

 shad. The statistics of all the fisheries of the Susquehanna and at the mouth of the 

 Chesapeake, could they have been obtained, would probably have shown a total catch 

 of 100,000 shad for the season. 



