[17] OPERATIONS AT CENTRAL STATION. 1033 



taken out and repacked. The remainder of this was a part of lot 229, 

 of 50,000, from Ferry Landing, taken at 6 p. m., 27th; reached Central 

 Station at .10.30 p. m., May 27; was put in jars, and remained there 

 till 5 a. m., 26th ; then repacked for shipment. These two lots were 

 pat on our trays and crated in the manner usually employed in the 

 Potomac River work ; but in addition were packed in large outer case, 

 with 6 inches of ice and hay (three-fourths bulk of hay, one-fourth bulk 

 ice) on all sides. These were shipped on 6.30 a. m. train, by Adams Ex- 

 press Company, to Mr. S. G. Worth, superintendent of North Carolina 

 Fish Commission, Weldon, IST. C. The remainder of lot 226 began to 

 hatch at 9 a. m., 30th, and finished at 8 p. m., June 1. The remainder 

 of lot 229 began to hatch at 9 a. m., 30th, and finished 6 a. m., June 2. 



" The third shipment consisted of part of lot 233, of 30,000, from the 

 gillers, taken at S p. m. on the 28th of May ; reached Central Station 

 at 11 p. m., 28th ; were immediately placed in jar, and remained there 

 till 5 a. m., 30th; then taken out for shipment and packed as in the 

 second shipment, except that flannel bottom trays were substituted for 

 our wire-bottom cotton-covered trays. This lot also was shipped by 

 Adams Express Company to Mr. Worth, at Weldon, N. C. The re- 

 mainder of this lot began to hatch at 8 a. m. of the 31st, and finished at 

 7 a. ra. of June 3." 



In the first experiment, in which no provision was made to control 

 fluctuations of temperature, the eggs proved almost a total loss. The 

 second and third lots reached Weldon in good condition, and were 

 hatched with less than 5 per cent of loss. 



The results of these experiments were detailed by Mr. S. Gr. Worth, 

 superintendent of fisheries for North Carolina, as follows : 



" Of the three lots sent from Washington to the Weldon station on 

 May 26, 29, and 30, the first lot of 270,000 suffered a loss of 95 per cent, 

 duo, I suppose, to the fact that segmentation had not taken place; that 

 the melting ice was immediately on the top of the trays ; and that uni- 

 form temperature was not maintained on the way, there being no sur- 

 rounding cushion of moss or other non-conductor, and, further, that 

 there was no elastic cushion between them and the vibrating floor of 

 the car. 



"The second lot of 100,000, part forty-six hours and the rest sixty 

 hours old on arrival, suffered a loss in transit of only 3 per cent, and 

 hatched without further appreciable loss. 



"The third lot, containing 30,000 eggs, forty-four hours old on arrival, 

 suffered a loss of 4 per cent on the way, and produced excellent results 

 in hatching." 



The season having closed at Weldon, a fourth experiment was made 

 and reported as follows : 



"Lot 257, of 70,000, from the gillers, near Fort Washington, taken 8 

 p. m., June 3, reached Central Station 9 a. m., June 4; were put into jar, 

 and remained till 6 p. m., June 5 ; were then repacked, as in No. 2 ship- 



