Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-14
MATCHING our SIiAp.


we nrc here in the interests Of the
United States fishing commission, said
Capt. pcr,mrier. oi the United States
gunboat Fish-ilGwk, now lying at an
chor of Gloucester 1--WE are Matching
shnd eggs. The process IS Simple
one. Come this way and ! Will show
yOu.
He led the way to the fore part of the
gun deck, which was cleared OF all I'M
plcmcnts Of war for the reception ui
some Of the most scientific machinery
Of peace. In the center Of the deck
stood a large copper tank, continuing
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 III conical ends
downward. a multiplicity of pipes,
tubes. valves, and stop-Cocks showed
that the cones were In connection
"Ihis is where we DO the hatching,
said Capt, pectmcicr. Those cones
are supplied with water FROM below
by tubes from the tank. The supply is
regulated by a stop-cock at the top and
the surplus water escapes through this
zinc network which surrounds the top
oi each of the cUniCHl tanks. Thus we
have running water all the time. Ii
we are in river we allow the surplus
Ia go overheard, but when at sra, ii be-
IN impossible 10 get the fresh water
necessary for Matching the eggs, we
allow the water to run back into the
main tank, and so ii keeps on running
over and over again. When the seine
is drawn up we take the female fish
with roos and force them TO discharge
the ova by squeezing them. Then we
take the males and by the same pro-
cess Of squeezing force them 60 inn
prCguatc the oya. The mass is then
counted, or rather measured, and put
into one Of these cones and the water
allowed to run"
'llOw do you count the eggs; for /
see You have 100000 eggs in this cone.
'lt is done by measure; So many
eggs to an ouncc,--a fluid ounce, ]
mean; say 10000. We'll, there are
thirty-two fluid ounces to quart,
therefore there must be within one or
two Of 100000 eggs. We use an or
binary graduated glass DRUGGISTS quart
measure. Ii takes IRON one to three
days for the eggs to hatch. Then ~,
keep the young !i.h Two or three DAYS
more and then cou-ign them TO their
native element. 10 put them in the
river requires considerable care. We
gather them into bucket. then lower
the bucket into the water and allow tur
little fellows to swim out Now let me
show you some Of the eggs" lie took
a piece of giass-tubc and pushed il into
one Of the conIcal tanks and. bliE-ur
it out, closed each end with tiugu II
was full OF small transparent giJUuial
substances, all moving about in III.
tube and somewhat difficult to see at
first.
IT you look carefully at them You
will see the young tish inside. Most Of
them are nearly ready TO come out.
There are also some of the Vpuug fish
in the tube. DO YOU see that tiny gIuur
hanging to each of thrm' That is tn"
umb!iical sac. The young fish iced,
upon that 10 Il certain age and liuaIiy
absurbs it altogether. You may see tug
same thing attached TO the i,h still in
the eggs. DO you notice how the ryc-
OF The young fish are sparkling. THAI
is because tnuy are sick. Thcy have no
air in this tube"
"Do tLcy iccl the want OF it so soon
as thnt?'
80. yes. There, | will put tAcm
back III their cone; perhaps they my
recover. The eggs, you observe, all
remain at The bottom Of the tanks, uE-
less | turn the water on hard. Thai
drives them 10 the top but it is not good
lor them, for it matches thcm too quick
ly. Since we have been on the river,
some week, now, We hatchrd srycral
millions of eggs, which would mv,
been lost Dl course "A vast number
are Matched by the process of nature in
the river, But these that We have pro.
ducad arliiicnliy viii 90 il long way
toward stocking the fishery, aud would
have been cooked and eaten or othrr.
wiz, destroyed if we had not stepped
in and saved them. We have other
tauhs for Matching the cgg, smaller
gl.ss oucs-but tEuy are uuly used
when We are very busy. We kvcp thu
water running through thrm IS au ar
ram%cmrnt Of siphons, a.l lcrdiug to q
larry, aquarium. don't know how
long we will remain here, hn. suppose
AS long rs we can obtain oya to work
upon. ~ Ihu0teiI&,u lj.HeS.