XVI REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The total number of eggs obtained was 32,449,000 ; the average loss 

 during incubation was 90 per cent.; the largest percentage of fish ob- 

 tained from any single lot being 15 per cent. 



Wood's Holl Station, C. G. Atkins, Superintendent. 



This station is thoroughly equipped, as well for marine biological re- 

 search as for the most extensive fish-cultural operations. Reference 

 will be made here only to the fish-cultural work carried on during the 

 year. 



The investigations conducted in the biological laboratory by the 

 regular and volunteer scientific assistants engaged in the study of the 

 marine life of the waters adjacent to the station will be referred to 

 under the head of inquiry in respect to food fishes and the fishing 

 grounds. 



As heretofore, the most extensive fish- cultural operations were with 



The Codfish. 



The total number of eggs taken was 30,08S,000; the number of fry 

 hatched, 7,822,000, the average percentage of production being 20 and 

 the highest percentage 92J. The heaviest losses were during January, 

 when the temperature of the waters was lowest. It would appear that 

 a temperature of 30° or below is certainly fatal, both to fish and eggs. 



The high percentage of production obtained in a number of cases 

 would indicate that, when the necessary conditions of success are pre- 

 cisely ascertained, we may count on as good results with the codfish 

 as with the shad and whitefish. 



A number of experiments were made to transfer eggs from Glouces- 

 ter to Wood's Holl, but without satisfactory results in any case. The 

 young fish obtained were all planted in the waters of Buzzard's Bay 

 and Vineyard Sound, m the vicinity of the station, with the exception 

 of one lot of 894,000, which were delivered to the Fish Haivlc for trans- 

 fer to Long Island Sound and Chesapeake Bay. 



The Winter Flounder. 



An application by Prof. Benjamin Sharp, of the University of Penn- 

 sylvania, for material for the study of the embryology of the flat fishes 

 was the occasion of some interesting experiments and observations on 

 the breeding and artificial hatching of the common flounder. 



This species was obtained in breeding condition early in February. 

 The eggs were found to be extremely adhesive, and, if permitted, would 

 aggregate in great lumps. The best success was obtained by spreading 

 them thinly on panes of glass and placing them in a current of water. 

 The total number of eggs collected was 1,179,000, from which were pro- 

 duced 320,000 fish, which were placed in the waters of Vineyard Sound. 



