Evening journal., 1901-05-06
PROP AGATION or
TOOTHNOMR SHAD
Some Of the Habits and
Queer Traits Of Well
known Fish

The United States Fish Commission
has just sent several of IT'S agents on
board the Fish Hawk to stock the Della
ware river with the young snad which
will return full grown and ready,
for the plank or the broiler.
The shad is in reality herring, and
is aclled by the naturalist alsoa sapidis-
sima; Is found all along the Atlantic
coast. and from Alaska to lower Cali
fornia on the Pacific side, where they
were introduced by the California Fish
Commission.
TOOIHSOME BUT TOOTHLESS.
The shad passes most of its life in
the briny deep, only coming up our
rivers for purposes OF spawning. lt Is
dmlng these Spring migrations, when
the temperature OF the river Is from SO
to &C degrees that il is possible for the
fisherman to capture them. This is al
ways done ny a net, because the shad
has no teeth and will not bite the line
Their food Is acquired by swimming
with mouth open and collecting on
their giils the minute forms of aquatic
life, which are filtered out as the
water passes through.
AS the shad Is only captured at the
time Of breeding, 1t was in great danger
OF extinction. In fact, in 1879, it was al
most extinct, ewing to its capture in
such large numbers during the breed
ing season and from the pollution OF
the waters 1t frequented. Zach female
fish deposits from 10000 to 100, 900 eggs
the highest record being that OF q
specimen caught in the Delaware
river in 1885. which gave 10000 eggs
Though this may seem very prolific, II
is exceeded by very many other species
Of food fishes. and very small per-
centage of the shad eggs reach matur-
ity, many of them escape fertilization
and freshet may bring down lots OF
mud. which would be deposited on the
eggs and destroy them. They are ais,
very susceptible before incubation
which takes several days, to sngh
changes or temperature, and, again
they are devoured by other aquati,
creatures, especially cells. Thes;
wolves Of the rivers" are so rapacious
as to attack the fish caught in gill nets
and it is no uncommon thing for The
7 fisherman to find his catch already
half-eaten by the cells Thus Il will bt
seen the poor shad has a hard struggle
= for existence, and is certainly entitled
/ to the charitable aid our good govern
ment sees fit to bestow upon it.
p GOVERNMENT SHAD ITATCHERIES
Government nurseries or hatcheries
as they are called, for the rearing o.
the young fish are maintained at Bryan
Point. on the Potomac river, 12 mile.
below Washington, where 10000. 900 or
phan shad are reared under Uncl,
SANS protection. founding asylum
with a capacity of 40,000,OOO is main
tanned on Battery Island at the mouti
3 of the Slsquehanna, while the United
states steamer Fish Hawk, with a ca.
pacity OF 10000. 600, and three hatchery
cars, with capacity of 100000 each
look after the interests around Phila
delphia.
On the Fish Hawk eggs are collected
by experienced watermen in OpeI
boats who must be capable and hard,
for their dangerous and exposing occu
patton. Ripe fish'-that is, fish whicl
are ready to spawn-are cOllecte,
from the fisherman, and the eggs force,
out into pans by gentle pressure. TIT
males are then similarly treated, tn
pan is gently rotated, and, after 10 o
10 minutes, the milt is poured off, tn
eggs Immediately beginning to chang
G and absorb water. After a sufficien
q number have been collected the accou
cheurs return to the Fish Hawk. an
> the fertilized eggs are transferred to
? receptacle known as a Matching jan
-' These Jars hold seven quarts, an
: about $4,000 eggs are placed in eacl
r jan. The decks of the Fish Hawk ar
; covered with them, and as soon as tn
:, eggs are placed therein a current O
water is run through, at the rate @
: about two quarts per minute. whic
, gives the eggs a boiling motion. ]
= takes from six to ten days for the egg
y to hatch When the young fry blossom
9 out they are about a third OF an inc
G long. II is a colorless, transparent
> gelatnous thing, with n relativel
large yolk sack under its forward part.
= II supports this with ease, however
= and swims vigorously by rapid an
continuous vibrations OF the tail froI
the moment it leaves the egg. In fou
or five days the yolk sack is completed
absorbed, and the youngster keeps o
growing until Fail, when he is fror
three to four inches long. and leave
the fresh water, the place of his ha
uvity, for the ocean, to return three o
four years later. either to garnish GU
J table or to continue the propagation G
his kind.
Old Business Man L. Dead