across the continent in seven days and ten hours. The 

 motion of the water, caused by the joliing of car or 

 steamboat, isjpr^bably rather beneficial than otherwise, 

 and would be 1 'y to prolong the life of the fishes. 3. 

 The impracticability of a sudden change from fresh to 

 salt water has been demonstrated. 4. It has been shown 

 that a partial admixture of salt water is not injurious to 

 the young fish: Scheme III,and Scheme XL being almost 

 equally successful. 5. It has been shown that a uniform 

 temperature of from 60 ° to 70 c is the most suitable, a 

 slight deviation beyond those extremes being dangerous. 

 6. The superiority of spring over pond water has been 

 most satisfactorily demonstrated. 7. The death of the, 

 young shad is undoubtedly due to starvation, — the um- 

 bilical sac having been absorbed at the end of five days 

 they were then entirety without food. A microscopic 

 examination of the intestines showed that they were ut-., 

 terly empty. A few of the surplus lot of fishes in the 

 supply can were placed in ajar containing a handful of 

 coarse sand and gravel, and, sinking to the bottom, they 

 seemed busily employed among the sand and pebbles. 

 Whether they found any food I do not know, but they 

 were among the last to die, although very little attention 

 was paid them. 



The quescion of the possibility of transporting shad 

 to Europe is one of much important. The only feasi- 

 ble plans seem to be these: 1, to discover some means 

 of feeding the. young fish in transitu; 2, to start the in on 

 the voyage in the eggs, hatching them on the way or 

 after their arrival; or, 3, to capture and transport the 

 young fish after they have been free for some weeks and 

 have by feeding gained the physical stamina to endure a 

 two weeks' fast. Of the three alternatives, the first 

 seems at present the most practicable; experiment may 

 yet reach some other and better plan. 



Frater Aquarius. 



UNITED STATES COMMISSION OF FISH AND 

 FISHERIES. 



THE FISH LABORATORY. 



Headquarters TJ. S. Com. Fish \ 

 and Fisheries. j 



Noank, Conn., Sept. 'S. 

 At the water's edge, midway between the invertebrate 

 Laboratory and the "Bluelight" wharf stands a small 

 white wooden building, the headquarters of the fishing 

 party. "Ichthyological Hall" some call it; others, ir- 

 reverently, "The Shark's Parlor," but to its occupants, 





