50 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Carp ( Cyprinus carpio). 
Spawning was in progress at the Carp Ponds from May 10 to 15, 1889. Mr. 
Hessel found the roots and even the entire surface of certain water plants covered 
with eggs. Some injury was caused by cold nights, and the superintendent restocked 
the ponds artificially with about 2,000,000 eggs on or about May 10. During May 
the carp grew to a length of 1 to 1J inches. 
Goldfish ( Carassius auratus). 
At the end of May, 1889, the Chinese and Japanese goldfish in the ponds at Wash- 
ington had reached a length of about 1 inch. 
Tench (Tinea tinea). 
According to observations of Mr. Hessel, adults and young of this fish remain 
close to the bottom of the pond, both day and night. 
Golden Ide ( Idus melanotus). 
Spawning began at the Carp Ponds, April 16, 1889, on a low temperature. Six 
days of warm weather followed and the eggs hatched on the fifth or sixth day. Early 
in May Mr. Hessel noticed among the young a school of the rare white variety, which 
did not mingle with the common yellow or red ones, but kept aloof, even when feeding. 
Shad ( Clupea sapidissima) . 
In the season of 1889, at Havre de Grace, Mr. Ravenel found that the fry hatched 
at Battery station seemed stronger and in better general condition than those at the 
auxiliary station at Havre de Grace. This he attributes to the better lighting of the 
Battery hatching house. 
The variable and low temperature of the water in the early part of the season, 
(50° on May 4 and not reaching 70° until after May 8) made the first fry weak and unfit 
for long shipments, the period of incubation being so greatly protracted. 
From the 15th to the 27th of May 1,713 gravid females furnished 57,809,000 eggs, 
an average of about 33,750 each. 
On May 16, 1,575,000 eggs were placed on car No. 3 to be hatched en route to 
Albany, N. Y., for the Hudson River. 
The first fish were hatched April 25, with the surface water at a temperature of 60°. 
In 1890 the collection of eggs at Battery station, Md., began April 21 and ended 
May 20. From May 7 to May 20 the work was retarded by heavy rains, followed by 
muddy water. The temperature of the water varied from 52° to 70°. The number of 
eggs taken during the season was 32,405,000. The largest take in one day was 3,419,000, 
on April 24. The eggs were of excellent quality and the fry were remarkably vigorous. 
The number of females handled was 985, which yielded an average of nearly 33,000. The 
catch of shad at the head of the bay and in the Susquehanna and Northeast Rivers 
was very small, probably on account of the May freshet, which shortened the seasons. 
On the Delaware eggs were collected from May 12 to May 28 and fry were dis- 
tributed from May 20 to June 4, 1890. 
During the egg-collecting season in the Potomac at Fort Washington, Md., the 
lowest mean temperature of the water was 52°, the highest 78°. The greatest number 
of shad eggs taken any one day was on May 6, when 8,368,000 were secured, the mean 
temperature of the water being 59°, April 24, 6,124,000; temperature, 63°, May 7, 
