The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-03-05
One Naturalist Bears Away a
Three Months Supply Of Spe-
cimens in His Pocket

One of the most enjoyable features
of the Brooklyn meeting of the Amer
lean Association for the Advancement
of Science was the excursion on the
Fish Hawk at the close of the sessions
in the Polytechnic Institute. Seven
members ofthe association were tax
en- on board the steamer as she lay in
the East river on the afternoon of Au-
gust %, and at 4 o'clock the vessel
weighed anchor and proceeded up the
river on her way to New London,
where the remainder of the party of
scientists was to be gathered up. The
host of the occasion was Col. Marshal
Mcdonald, brother of the Louisville
McDonalds, the Commissioner of fish
and fisheries.
The Fish Hawk was the first vessel
ever built by any Government ex-
pressly for fish culture and the other
work of a fish commission. The for
ward half of the main deck is fitted
up with tables, cones, water-pipes and
other apparatus for caring for the fish
sprawn, Matching the fry on board
ship and taking care of them until
they are ready for.deposit in the ocean
or for shipment to some other locality
When built the steamer was provided
with thirty-six Matching cones capable
of Matching 100000 shad at time.
A seven-foot beam trawl used on the
A. A. A. S. excursion is of the style |
in common use by the Fish Commits
sion. 1t consists Of long, tapering
bag or fish net of rather small mesh,
attached to a rigid frame in front,
seven feet wide, which keeps the
mouth open.
Other sizes have the horizontal
beam 9, II or II feet in length, while
the bag is from Is to 40 feet long. The
apex ofthe bag is tied together when
in use, but when a haul has been
made the lashings are loosened, and
the contents Of the trawl easily dis
charged through the open bottom onto
the deck or into the table seive. The
trawl skins along over the bottom,
gathering into its capaCious nav
whatever loose material happens to be
in its way. This implement, togeth-
er with small towingnets, for surface
and intermediate depths, set lines, for :
arge fishs and band apparatus for !
shore work, has been the mechanical
means used by the scientists of the
United States Fish Commission in in
the cause of and remedy
or the diminution in the supply of &
God fishes along our coast. .
Seven members of the A. A. A. S
lad come to New London from New !
York and were taken on board the
tish Hawk for the day. About 9 !
o'clock the order was given to weigh
nchor. After two hours delightful >
all Capt. Plat announced that they
we're about six miles west of Plum !,
Tut. All was hustle then on the part =,
# the strangers to see what comprised -
he actual operations of dredging, q
FIRST of all came the sounding, which \
vas done by means of large sinker. =
The nature of the bottom is learned
" the particles that stick to some tai
ow placed for that purpose in the .
'ottom of the lead. The temperature -
# the surface and bottom water must q
re taken. A thoroughly protected .
elf-registering thermometer is attach !,
d to the sounding line just above the q
mixer and is kept in an upright po- :,
ition by spring clamps. The ships a.
xact position was then located on her b
hart. Meanwhile her crew had low =,
red the seven-foot beam trawl. Anil,
,cumulator spring between the boom >,
nd the pulley through which the b,
awl cable passes relieves the trawl .;
sudden wrenches.
The engines are SLOWLY backed