THE SMELTS 
345 
females. The fish ranged in size from five or six to a pound to half a pound each, 
and averaged about three to a pound. From them 3,460,000 eggs were collected, 
which would make the average number of eggs per female 17,300. 
CHARACTER OF THE EGGS 
Smitt (1895) says of the ova of the European smelt that they are light yellow, 
and their diameter was estimated by Benecke at 0.6 to 0.8 millimeter; but Meek 
(1916) states that the ova are light yellow in color, but he says they measure about 
1 millimeter, which undoubtedly is incorrect. 
According to Berkhous (1908), at the Torresdale (Pa.) hatchery, eggs obtained 
from Cold Spring Harbor were estimated at 500,000 to a quart. This would amount 
to 15,625 to a fluid ounce. 
Superintendent Race of the United States Fisheries station at Green Lake, Me., 
said that a careful measurement of the eggs of the “large” form of fresh-water smelt 
showed 31,250 to a fluid ounce, and of the “small” form 46,250 to a fluid ounce. 
The eggs are often spoken of as being glutinous or sticky, for which reason they 
become attached to anything with which they come in contact. Cunningham (1896) 
describes the means of attachment in an entirely different manner. He says that 
the outer of the two layers of the egg bursts at one point and separates, turning inside 
out as it does so and remaining firmly attached to the inner layer over one small circu- 
lar patch. The separated membrane is adhesive when the egg is first shed, and 
attaches itself to objects in the water, for example the piers of bridges or posts in the 
river where the fish spawns, or the stones of the river bed. The eggs are thus sus- 
pended from their support by the flexible outer membrane. He states that the 
micropyle is in the center of the circular patch over which the suspending membrane 
remains attached. This description appears to be based on Ehrenbaum’s account 
(1894). 
After fertilization a considerable space is formed between the inclosing mem- 
brane and the body of the egg. The shape is round and the breadth of the inclos- 
ing membrane varies from 0.9 to 1.3 millimeters (about 0.04 to 0.05 inch). The 
yolk is composed of small globules, and contains several oil globules of different 
sizes. The whole egg is fairly transparent but less so than marine buoyant eggs. 
INCUBATION 
It is estimated that it requires from 2 to 6 weeks from the time the eggs are 
deposited until they hatch, according to the temperature of the water. Smitt (1895) 
says that according to Blanchere the eggs are hatched in 8 to 10 days; according 
to Feddersen in 12 days; and according to Sundevall in 18 days, “a discrepancy of 
observation which in all probability depends on the different temperature of the 
water during the period of incubation.” Cunningham (1896) says: 
The development is rather slow and took at a temperature of 46° to 53° twenty-seven days. 
In the earlier part of the spawning season, from the end of March onwards, the water being colder, 
the development would take longer. 
Regan (1911) says that the eggs hatch out in from one to three weeks, accord- 
ing to the temperature. Meek (1916) says that there is much variation in the time 
