The times., 1900-03-11

with a constant flow OF water. The other te
carry off the overflow. and a small tank or
aquarium for the reception OF the young
shad as they are hatched. The supply tube
extends TO the bottom of the jar and the
water. rising 10 the exit at the top. keep.
the mass Of eggs in constant circulation. or
what has been best described as the boil
ing motion, bringing each egg in success
sion to the top. It. is a property OF the
dead eggs that once they reach the top Of
the mass. they will not again mingle With
the others. so that they gradually acCumu-
late in the upper portion Of the jar. whence
they are removed by simply pushing down
the exit tube until they are carried of
with the overflow. Eight or twelve Of the
Jars are arranged round one tank and fur
nlshed with water from the general supply
pipe at the rate of about two quarts per
minute. Each jar holds six quarts and has
capacity Of over 100. 600 eggs. though
usually containing about S5CO0
so transparent is the egg. and so rapid
Is the development OF the embryo fish when
once started, that. with close and system
atic observation, the whole series OF
changes may be plainly observed in the
one individual until il bursts the delicate
membrane and emerges into free exist
est facility in all nature OF observing the
process Of germinal life in the fish king.
dom. As already stated the spectator first
discerns little more than two very brigh,
eyes in the little globular mass. but. upon
closer inspection. two or three faint. shad-
owy, dark lines are observable coiled half
round the interior Of the egg naaFhiug
the position OF the body. which at this
stage is nearly as transparent as the sur
rounding water The fish has acquired con
siderable power of movement by the time
the eyes have appeared and at strikiugly
regular intervals Of about one second gives
a vigorous wriggle. few hours later or
at about the end Of the third day after
being placed in the jar movement of
more than usual strength will rupture the
frail prison and set the fish, as it should
be called at that time. free.
Transferred to New Quarters.
The infant fish does not long enjoy his
original quarters, but is carried into a re-
ceiving tank, whence he is transferred,
with his fellows, into tin cans for distribu-
tion. 1t is found necessary to effe this
at once in the case OF the Potomac shad
for. unlike many Of the species handled by
the Fish Commission, the trout. the sal
mon, and the bass. for example the shad
cannot be reared to maturity in confiEe-
ment He must soon be turned loose 10
find his natural food and to make his way
at the end Of summer 10 the sea- his pro er
home. The 5had belongs TO that class OF
fishes called anadromus. which ascend the
rivers and estuaries at certain seasons, re
turning again to salt water
The distributing cans contain each about
thirty thousand fry, and are sent By rail
to various points on the coast. They are
there empted into the mouths of rivers,
and attain in the course OF the summer a
length Of two or three inches.
Thus is the work Of the Fish Comm ssiOu |
in the case Of our Potomac
River shad, and thus are handled during
the course Of each year between seventy
five and one hundred millions OF them, but /
this Is only a small item in the entire work /
Of the bureau. The process Of stocking /
waters with indigenous fishes is carried on /
from stations situated all over the country |
and the result is the steady increase in the /
value Of the fisheries where an equally /
steady decrease had previously been the
rule. More striking results, however, have
followed the introduction Of spe les into
waters Of which they are not natives, as
hat Of the shad into the Pacific Coast re-
sions. In 1871 the California State F sh
Commission planted twelve thousand OF
.hese nsh IN the Sacramento River with
good result. The enterprise was then
aiken up by the National Fish Commission,
with the result that the species is now
ound along the entire coast as far north
IS Alaska. The value Of the fishing is
omething enormous. The planting OF
triped bass in the waters Of the Pacific.
hough on a smaller scale. has met with a
Ike success, and many more instances Of
he same nature might be adduced.
The Government Of Canada is said to be
he only one in the world TO carry on oper-
tlons Of magnitude in anywise compar-
bic to those Of the United States Fish
but the European governments
re gradually taking the matter in hand.
Is a pioneer the American Fish Commis-
ion has benefited the entire world. while
Is value to this country is recognized as
uestimable.