Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-26
HABITS oY THE xuIIrr.
Bureau of Fisheries is Making An
 Important Investigation.

Washington. D. C.. Nov. 26.-An investigation. of particular import ance to the people of the South country, is being conducted by the bureau of fisheries. It is an inquiry into the habits, spawning and general characteristics of the mullet, one of the finest food fishes that swims. Curiously enough, little Is known of the mullet. For several years eff forts have been made by the fish commission to ascertain the habits of the fish, to learn when and where 1t spawns and to hatch the mullet fry from the eggs taken from the female, but the efforts have met with no success: An inquiry extending over three seasons was made in the waters of the South Atlantic coast, but 1t developed no definite informa- tion. Thus far, 1t Is not known where the fish spawn, how they spawn and whether they can be matched arti- ficially.
 The mullet Is abundant on the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina. Thousands of barrels of them are shipped anually from both of those states and from Florida. The run of mullet begins in the Caro- linas early in the autumn and in I Florida waters; on the east coast, it begins in November. The fish ap- pear in untold millions. The schools sometimes are miles in extent, the fish seemingly being crowded togeth- | n1N kn mo !. In Florida, particularly, the first run" of mullet Is an event of great importance. Indeed, it is said. that if the announcement Is made in I church that the mullet have begun to run all the eloquence of the pastor will not restrain the congregation. The people will leave the church en masse and hurry to the riverside to assist in catching the fish.
 | The mullet is regarded as one of the finest edible fishes in the Atlantic waters. In some of the southern states it is protected by the laws in the spawning season, the fish not be- ing allowed to be taken in nets during the period when they are SUD- posed to be spawning. Opinions differ as to the time and place of their spawning and it Is to deter mine, if possible, these points that the fish commission is conducting its investigation.
 The generally accepted theory is that the mullet spawns at sea, but this is contradicted by close obser- vers of the habits of the fish, many of whom maintain that the fish spawns in the creeks adjacent to the ocean, where 1t lies in untold mil lions for several days at a time Thus, far, the experts of the fish commission have been unable tc catch the male mullet when his milk will fertilize the eggs properly. Ii this could be done. and the fish cul- turists of the commission believe il may be, it will be possible to hatch artificially the mullet fry, just as shad fry and the fry of other fish are matched. To accomplish this result the Fish-Hawk, the largest steamer in the service of the fish commission Is now at Mosquito Inlet on the east coast of Florida and the experts or board of her are endeavoring to solve the problem which has puzzled tn, fish commission for many years.
 It Is the purpose of these export, to take the ripe eggs from the fe male, fertilize them with the milk o the male and hatch them artificially Once this is accomplished the fir, will be deposited in the waters of thu south coast to add to the vast mum Der of mullet already there. The fry will be protected until they are large enough to take care of themselves.
 No fish in southern waters is o greater importance, commercially than the mullet. It is highly desir able. therefore. that the fish be no only protected, but that it's habit! be thoroughly understood. It will b, a great step forward if the fish car be matched artificially. as this will prevent its ultimate extinction as ar article of food and preserve what i. now a great industry on the south Atlantic coast.