Evening star., 1909-02-14
LANDING A SHAD SEINE,

the tributaries Of the Chesapeake The
bureaus work consists in the conserva-
ton of eggs taken from market fish at
the time of capture, but is limited to fish
caught in the twenty or thirty miles of
river below the District line.
The decadence Of the fishery is entirely
due to the lack of restriction as to the
use OF pound nets which capture the ma
jority of the fish intending to enter the
river, thus not only preventing all oppor-
tunities for natural reproduction, but Sc
riously limiting the bureaus rescue work.
Each day during the fishing season a
steam launch leaves the station at Bryans
point with number of small boats in
tow. which are to be dropped at intervals
of two or three miles down the river.
Each of these boats is provided with
pans, dippers and small tubs for handling
the spawn and manned by one or two
spawn takers. who visit the fishing shores
and gill net- 20 secure the eggs, for which
the proprietor of the net is paid by the
bureau $50 per million. or cents per
thousand.
After having secured all the spawn that
is TO be taken on that tide, the boats
lie in wait for the return of the launch.
and are towed back to the station. where
the eggs are taken care of, the numbers
ascertaned. and a careful record kept of
the quantity obtained from each net.
Some times the number of eggs thus taken
in the course OF one day will be as high
a. StOO,OO0-no easy matter to count were
counting the method actually employ ed,
but sufficiently accurate estimate is
made by measuring the depth of the eggs
In the jars, it having been determined
just about how many occupy given
space. The operation of shipping the
eggs, which was formerly one OF the most
important processes. the majority were
Matched in the bureaus building in this
city. is now comparatively limited one.
The shipping tray is simply a light
across the bottom of which is stretched a
netting of wire. Over this Is laid wet
cotton cloth. and the eggs are carefully
dipped from the pan into which they have
been emptied from the Jars and spread
out in two layers. The trays are stacked
one upon another. then the whole is en-
veloped in another wet cloth and securely
strapped together ready for transporta-
ton. Thus packed, the eggs will live
for about day. sufficient, however for
transportation to this city.
:: x
There are few spectacles more interest
ing In this city than the process of the
Matching OF these myriads of shad eggs,
which may be witnessed by the visitor to
the museum of the bureau of fisheries
The Matching apparatus, which is the in
vention of former Commissioner Marshall
Mcdonald. is at once simple, ingenious
and effective. 1t consists of q cylindrical
glass vessel with a hemispherical bottom,
provided with a screw top. with apertures
for the admission of two glass tubes. one
to supply the eggs with constant flow of
water, the other to carry off the over
fow and 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 ris-
ing to the exit at the top keeps the mass
of eggs in constant circulation, in what
has been best described as boiling
NOTION bringing each egg in succession
to the top. The dead eggs, generally be-
ing lighter gradually accumulate in
the upper portion OF the jar. whence
they are removed by simply pushing down