The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-23
PISCATORY.

Showing how cheaply valuable fish
may be multiplied, the Charleston Joufna
has the following aaH4a1s
BASS FISH IN THE DELAWARE.
Some of the descendants of the small
colony of bass that General W. w. Shriver,
of this city, transplanted in the Potomac
seventeen years ago are being transferred
to stock in the Delaware. About two
weeks ago, seven hundred and six black
bass were taken from the Potomac at
Harper's Ferry and transported in huge
tanks to the Delaware river at Easton.
Forty-six hours were occupied in the trans
portation of the fish, during which about
one hundred died, but the. remainder SWAN
off briskly upon being placed in the river,
and their descendants will doubtless af-
ford rare sport to the disciples OF Isaac
Walton on the upper waters of the Della
ware during many years to come.
The bass in the Potomac, which are now
very numerous and grow to large size, were
first placed there by Mr.. Shriyer in 1854.
In the spring after the opening of the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad, he carried about
dozen fish from the Ohio in perforated
buckets made to fit in the water tank OF a
locomotive, and placed them in the canal
basin at Cumberland, where they had &C
cess to the river. They are very prolific.
each female producing about thirty thous-.
and eggs in season-and their boldness
and strength protect their young from the
ravages of other fish. The hundreds OF
thousands of bass now in the Potomac
have all sprung from the dozen or more
that Mr.. Shriver placed there, and he may
streams east Of the Allegheny mountains
fully stocked with excellent fish as the re-
suit of his foresight and philanthropy.
SHAD.-The Scottsville Register says !:
'The shad lives but single year. II is
Matched in the early summer--descends
the stream as soon as large enough
feeds and fattens in the winter at the
mouth of the stream--ascends in the
spring to deposit its spawn-descends to
die at the bottom of the ocean,"
Our contemporary is mistaken in his facts.
The male shad does not become fecund
until 1t is one year old, and the female
does not carry spawn until the age of two.
"When two years old both sexes are fecund
and seek the river together. These are
half-grown, or two years old. The third
season they are large fish, and may be
termed three years DID," See Norris on
American Fish Culture, p. 1872. The same
author on p. 1853 says; "The impression
that prevails among fishermen, both here
and in Europe, that shad die after spawn
ing, the first year, comes only from the
familiar fact that fishes are in a meagre
condition after spawning, aud that some OF
the weaker probably do die, and are seen
floating. "--Richmond Enquirer
TAME CoDF1sH. Mr.. Buckland, in a
recent number of Land and Water, gives
an interesting account of visit paid by
him to pond containing tame Goldfish at
Port Logan, Wigtonshire. The property
in question belongs to gentleman by the
name of M'Dougall, and consists OF an
amphitheatre about one hundred feet In
diameter, followed out Of the solid rock
by the sea. All egress from this is pre-
vented by barrier of loose stones, through
which water passes freely. On approach
ing the shore of the pond many Goldfish OF
great size were seen and when servant
woman who had charge of the fish APP
preached with some mussels, the surface Of
the water was perfectly alive with the
struggling fish. They came close to
the edge, and after little while permitted
Mr.. auckland to take hold of them,
scratch them on the back, and play with
them in various ways. Among other ex-
periments tried by him was that OF hold
ing mussel in his hand, and allowing the
fish to swallow his hand in the effort to
obtain the mussel. These fish furnish to
the proprietor an ample supply OF excel
lent food, the favor being considered much
superior to that Of the cod taken in thu
open sea. Whenever needed for the table
selection can readily be made from thu
most promising of those at hand, and thu
fish secured without any difficulty.
A correspondent Of Land and Water, re