XXVI REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The steamers Fish Hawlc and Halcyon were assigned to work in co 

 operation with the station, and contributed materially to the large re- 

 sults obtained. 



On May the 2d the Fish Hawk anchored oft' Bull Mountain, in easy 

 reach of the seines and gillers, where she remained, conducting opera- v 

 tions independently, and transferring eggs to the shore station when 

 the collections exceeded the capacity of her hatching apparatus, 1,330,- 

 000 eggs being so transferred v 



The Halcyon worked in connection with the station, making daily 

 trips to the fishing grounds, and transferring the eggs collected to the 

 shore station ; 8,402,000 eggs were thus collected. The services of this 

 steamer were also utilized in transferring fry to the Chester, Elk, and 

 Sassafras rivers, the total number transferred aggregating 3,000,000. 



The percentage of ripe shad was unusually large this season. On 

 the night of May 7, 4,000,000 eggs were taken, and a much larger 

 number might have been obtained had it been practicable to visit all 

 the nets. 



The total number of eggs received at the station during the season 

 was G0,5G9,000. 918,000 eggs were transferred to car No. 3, and 

 42,7L2,000 fry hatched at the station. Of these, 11,850,000 were placed 

 in waters adjacent to the station and 29,882,000 distributed to other 

 waters, as shown by the tables of distribution in the appendix. 



SEASON OF 1888. 



A programme for the conduct of the shad hatching on the Susque- 

 hanna for the season was submitted by Mr. Kavenel, the superintend- 

 ent, about March 1. The same was approved and an allotment of 

 money made for this work. The work of preparation was commenced 

 immediately. 



During the previous season it had been shown that the hatching facil- 

 ities at the station were inadequate and the apparatus employed cum- 

 brous aud unsatisfactory. Automatic hatching jars were substituted 

 for the cones, and a new buildiug, GO by 30 feet, was equipped with the 

 new jars. A supplementary station was also established at Havre de 

 Grace, equipped with one hundred jars, and having a capacity of ten 

 million eggs at one time, doing away with the risk aud inconvenience 

 of transferring fry intended for shipment to distant waters from the 

 station at Battery Island. Few good eggs were obtained prior to April 

 23. One week afterwards 25,000,000 good eggs had been taken. The 

 station closed June 4, with a total production of 105,315,000 eggs. 

 Of these, 17,400,000 partially developed eggs were transferred to cars 

 Nos. 2 and 3. The remainder yielded G2,G41,000 fry, which were dis- 

 tributed as shown in the tables in appendix. 



The results this season are far in excess of any previous year, and 

 this in the face of most unfavorable weather during the height of the 

 season. 



