Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-04-30
THE HABITS OF SHAD.
BY ROBERT L. PELL.

way to the ocean are rarely seen on soft
ground, but only in the vicinity of gravel
bottoms and rocky shore T have seen
hundreds of thousands passing down the
Hudson in the months of July and August.
Old shad commence ascending Southern
rivers in February and March. and the Hud-
son and Connecticut rivers in April, May
and June, coming directly from the deep
sea in large shoals, searching for spawning
ground, and Immediately after the operation,
swim with great rapidity near the bottom
towards the ocean, and if taken, are found
thin and unfit for the table. Full shad,
when they leave the sea migrate to spawn
beyond brackish water and usually continue
up the stream if the bottom is suitable, un-
til they are prevented by dam, or similar
obstruction, which they never attempt to
overcome, as salmon do. The young shad
from spawn deposited by the April run of
spawners, when returning down the Hudson
on their way to the ocean in August. are a.
bout the size oflarge herrings. If our fish
ermen were experienced, they might meet
shoals at Sandy Hook Immediately on their
arrival from deep water, and shorten the
distance daily towards the spawning ground
by which means a vast number that now
fortunately escape to spawn, would be de-
stroyed. There is no satisfaction, however,
in enlightening this class of citizens, who
are so selfish as to look only to present gain,
and are unwilling to spend half an hour at
the end Of each fishing season to plant the
spawn of dozen shad, each of which would
produce fifty thousand fish towards the next
years supply. Ihave endeavored to induce
our State Legislature to pass law, making
it incumbent upon all fishermen so to do !;
but have not been successful. If this plan
were pursued for five years, our rivers would
again TEEN with this delicious fish, as they
always return directed by instinct, to spawn
where they were born. Some years since,
in my vicinity on the Hudson, two thousand
shad were taken at single haul of the seine,
where now it is rare occurrence to entrap
three hundred. This fact plainly shows
that if the present destructive system is pur-
sued, the supply will soon fail to meet the
demand. Two years since, I artifcially
impregnated the ova of shad. Thus: hav-
ing partially filled pail with water, I took
a female Immediately from the river in my
left hand and stripped her gently with my
right, when the ova, some fifteen thousand
in number, were forced into the pail The
spermatic fluid of the male was then in the
same way caused to drop in the same pail.
and when thoroughly mixed together, the
color of the ova changed from glowing red
to beautiful straw color. They were then
placed under fine gravel at the inlet of one
Of my breeding ponds, and running water
was permitted to pass over them. At this
time my microscope only indicated single
cell in the egg, containing straw colored
fluid forty days afterwards the microscope
exposed to view thousands of different cells
partially filed with blood Two days after
wards plainly saw eyes. Within week
thereafter, thousands of young shad made
their appearance with small appendages at
tached to their bodies, but could not discern
with my glass either mouth or gills The
blood vessels and heart were plainly SEEN
The eyes were large, and the pectoral fms
well developed. At the age of thirteen
days the anal, dorsal and caudal fins, de-
void Of rays, could be seen without the mi
croscope as we'll as the gills and mouth. -
At this period the sack disappeared, and
they attempted to eat; were very lively, and
concealed themselves when any person ap-
preached.
1 have also caused old shad to spawn in a
breeding pond and kept them healthy by an
occasional application of fine salt. Their
progeny became fresh water FISH.
Fecundated ova of the famous English
sole, white bait, teuch, carp, roach, dace,
perch and jack, wrapped in flannel cloths,
and packed in boxes of damp moss for me,
were lost in the i'll fated Arctic. I intend
ed to plant the ova of the salt water
fish in the little bays formed by the Hudson
River Railroad, and have made arrange
ments with Monsieur Coste of Paris, and
Monsieur Millet of the French Societc Zoo
logique'd Acclmation, for another shipment
during the present season.
[ offered the legislature of the State of
New York at its present sitting, through
the medium of Senators Kelly and Ferdon,
to stock all the waters of the State with sal
mon at my own expense if they would pass
a law for the preservation Of the fish until
they should become well established in the
different waters but want of time will pro-
badly prevent its passage.
The growth Of salmon has been thorough
ly proved in the Scotch fisheries, by mark
ing the fish. The young fry in four months
time between the period Of leaving their
birth place for the sea and their return to
spawn. have increased seven and a half