The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-08-07
HATcH1ss OUT sHAD.
Capt Peetmeier, Of the Flsh.Hawk, Preparing
for Next Seasons Fishery.

Tor Next seasons Flsnery.
1--WE are here in the interests Of the
United States fishing commission"
said Capt. Peetmeier, of the United
States gunboat Fish-Hawk, now lying
at anchor off Gloucester. ave are
Matching shad eggs. The process is a
simple n Come this way and will
show you"
He led the way to the fore part OF
the gun deck, which was cleared OF
all implements of war for the reception
of some of the most scientific machln-
cry of peace. In the center of the
deck stood a large copper tank, con-
tanning water constantly changing
from the river, but capable OF being
stopped when at sea. On one side OF
this tank stood twelve zinc cones,
about three feet in height, with the
conical ends downward. A multiple
ity of pipes, tubes, valves, and stop
cocks showed that the cones were in
connection.
This is were we do the Matching"
said Capt. Peetmeier. These cones
are supplied with water from below
by tubes from the tank. The supply
is regulated by a stop-cock at the top
and TIE surplus water escapes though
this zine network which surrounds
the top of each of the conical tanks.
Thus we have running water all the
time. If We are in a river we allow
the surplus to go overheard, but when
at sea-, it being impossible to get the
fresh water necessary for Matching the
eggs. we allow the water to run back
into the main tank, and SO it keeps or
running over and over again. When
the seine up is drawn we take the fe-
male fish with roes and force them to
discharge the ova by squeezing them.
Then we take the males and by the
same process of squeezing force them
to impregnate the va. The mass is
then counted, or rather measured, and
put into one of these cones and the
water allowed to rum
Chow do you count the eggs; for
see you have 160,0 900 eggs in this cone.
at is done by measure; so many
eggs to an ounce.-a fluid ounce, l
mean; say 10000. Well. there are
thirty-two field ounces to a quart.
therefore there must be within Il or
two OF $50, 900 eggs. We use an ordin-
airy graduated glass druggist quart
measure. 1t takes from one to three
days for the eggs to hatch. Then we
keep the young fish two or three days
more and then consign them to their
native element. To put them in the
river requires considerable care. We
gather them into a bucket then lower
the bucket into the water and allow
the little fellows to swim out.
Now let me show you some
of the eggs He took Il piece of glass
tube and pushed it into one of the COM
cal tanks and, bringing it out, closed
each end with Il finger. 1t was tull
of small transparent globular sub.
stances all moving about IN the tube
and somewhat difficult to see at first.
al you look carefully at them you
will see young fish inside. Most of
them are nearly ready to come out.
There are also some of the young fish
in this tube. Do you see that tiny
globe hanging to each of them? That
is the umbilical sac. The Young fish
feeds upon that up to a certain age
and finally absorbs it altogether. You
may see the same thing attached to
the fish still in the eggs. DO you no.
tice how the eyes OF the young fish are
spanning. lNtt Is ucciuSt lHEF are
sick. They have no air in this tube"
'lDo they feel the want of it so soon
as tAat?'
80 yes. There, l will put them
back in their cone; perhaps they may
recover. The eggs. You observe, al
remain at the bottom of the tanks,
unless turn the water on hard. That
drives them to the top but it is not
good tor them, for it matches them too
quickly. Since we have been on the
river, some weeks now, we Matched
several millions OF eggs. which would
have been lost. OF course Il vast num-
Der are hatched by the process of ma
ture in the river. But these that we
have produced artiiicially will 90 a
long way toward stocking the fishery,
and would have been cooked and eaten
or otherwise destroyed if we had not
stepped in and saved them. We have
other tanks for Matching the eggs
smaller glass ones-but they are only
used when we are very busy. We
keep the water running through them
by an arrangement of siphons, all
leading to a large aquarium. | don't
know how long we will remain here,
but suppose as long as we can OBJ
tain ova to work upon."-Ph,iadelphEa
Times.