[3] SHAD OPERATIONS AT FOKT WASHINGTON, MD., IN 1883. 1037 



jng', Washington, D. C. The bad condition of the eggs, in my opinion, 

 was due also to the nse of pans with strainer bottoms, many of the 

 eggs being thus broken j as soon as this was discovered the use of these 

 l)ans was discontinued. 



On May 8 the steamer Lookout reported for service, and tliereafter 

 made daily trips from Washington to the fishing grounds, returning 

 with the eggs collected. Most of the eggs were taken between tlie hours 

 of 4 and 11 p. m., and when transported to the hatchery as soon as pos- 

 sible, they were invariably found to be in good condition. 



During the month of April the temperature at night was fre<iueutly 

 as low as 49° F., which destroyed the eggs if they were kept over- 

 night ; during the month of June great heat caused the same effect. 

 The temperature of 00° to 65° P. is the most favorable for the pres- 

 ervation of shad eggs ; above or below that the loss increases rapidly 

 for comparatively small changes of temperature. The eggs were inva- 

 riably transported on the trays, both for convenience and safety, as they 

 had to be carried in a Avagon from the steamer to the hatchery one-half 

 a mile over a roughly paved street ; the greatest care was taken at all 

 times to protect them from exposure. 



Written instructions were furnished the spawn-takers and the utmost 

 care taken in the manipulation of the eggs, uniformity being insured 

 by a daily report from the hatchery as to the condition of the eggs 

 taken on the day previous ; this was furnished to the spawn-taker who 

 could then tell in what condition his eggs were received. 



All the haul-seines had been removed by May 28, leaving the gill-nets 

 as the only means of supply. Very few male shad were taken in gill- 

 nets, but numerous females; there being no milt it was impossible to 

 impregnate the eggs ; for this reason the losses which occur every year 

 at the best spawning time of the fish are very great and finally cause 

 an end to spawn-taking. 



On the 21st of May, without any consultation, Mr. Harron removed his 

 seine, thus violating the contract with the Commission. His seine was 

 110 fathoms in length and 24 feet deep; it worked well enough but 

 yielded poor results, only 752 shad and 24,226 herring having been 

 taken between April 14 and May 21. It was a good thing that he left, 

 for directions were then issuetl to prepare a seine to be worked by em- 

 ployes of the Commission. The seine berth was sounded out and found 

 to have a depth varying from 10 to 71 feet, thus showing that the lead 

 line of Harron's seine hardly ever touched bottom. We had previously 

 discovered that most of the fish taken in gill-nets were found at the 

 bottom of the net; consequently we made preparations to fish the berth 

 so as to reach the bottom. 



A seiue was rigged 115 fathoms in length and 40 feet deep, having for 

 a lead line 3-inch bolt-rope, this heavy lead line sinking it to the bottom. 

 It was ready on June 5 and worked admirably, there being but one ob- 



