LIT 



branch-lieiTing ( />. vernalis)'. ior if tlie opportunities of 

 propagating the two be equal the former sliould most 

 certainly be selected as the more valuable variety. 



The difference in the spawning habits of these two 

 species has no doubt contributed very materially to the 

 disappearance of the glut-herring and the continued 

 abundance of the branch -herring, the latter seeking 

 more isolated localities. a\ here they are less disturbed by 

 the fishermen, than the former. 



Although the catch of herring during the last season 

 was unusuallv large, vet. unfortunatelv. it consisted 

 principally of the branch-herring or the less valuable 

 variety. 



Col. McDonald repoi-ts that ''on the Neuse the catch 

 of branch-herring (j^. rernnlis), or wall-eyed, as it is 

 called bv the hshermen on that river, was unusually 

 large: sometimes the catch of a drasr-net was almost 

 wholly of this species. The run of glut-herring Avas 

 very small. On the Albemarle the same condition of 

 things existed, the large proportion being of the nernalis 

 and males, being much smaller than the glut-herring. 



On the Rapijahannock the only considerable run of 

 herring Avas the rernalis. These were largely male, and 

 very small, requiring about 1100 to the barrel." 



'*0n the Susquehanna there was a herring glut from 

 the 1st to the lOtli of May. These also were the mrnalis, 

 mostly males, and very small, as on the Rappahannock." 



Hatching House. 



The fish hatched during the year 1879 had all been 

 distributed by the 1st of January, 1880, with the excep- 

 tion of tAvelve thousand seven hundred (12,700) California 

 salmon, and eight hundred and seA^enty-hA^e (875) young 

 carp. A fcAv Penobscot salmon, laud-locked salmon, 

 and brook-trout. Avere left in the brick ponds adjacent 

 to the hatching-house. 



The Avater supplying these ponds is mainly received 

 from the hi^rh-surf ace reservoir located on the hill to the 



