REPORT of the REPRESENTATIVE

of the

Commission of Fish and Fisheries.

In accordance with the Act of Congress, approved June 10, 1896, on June 27th
following W. de C. Ravenel, the assistant in Charge of the Division of Fish
Culture, was appointed Representative of the Commission of Fish and Fisheries
on the Board of Management of the United States Government exhibit, at the
Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, and, upon the organization of
the Board in September the Commission was allotted $20,000 and 5,027 square
feet of floor space in the Northwest corner of the Government building. 
Subsequently all allotments were changed owing to the passage on December 18th
of a joint resolution of Congress reducing the appropriation for the Government
exhibit form $150,000 to $137,000, so that the amount available for the
Commission was $18,333.  In August, 1898, when the re-apportionment of the
funds was made the Commission was authorized to expend $2,500 additional,
making its total allotment $20,822.(#)  In the re-assignment of space, the
Commission was granted 115 square feet additional.

As the live fish exhibit at previous expositions had proved the most attractive
feature, it was decided to devote the bulk of the money and 4,000 square feet
of the space to the erection of an aquarium for showing the important food and
game fishes of the Mississippi River valley and its tributaries, besides the
important species proagated by the Commission and a series of marine fishes
from the New England coast.

The Aquarium:  The plans and specifications for the aquarium were prepared by
Mr. Geo. A. Schneider, of the Commission, who also superintended its
construction.  The aquarium was a grotto-like structure, 140 feet long by 26
feet wide, arranged thus:  ______________
with arranged entrances at the short arms  ______________
and rotundas at the turning points.  The entrances were semi-circular arch-ways
supported on colonnades, embellished with ornamental work, soffit and face, and
flanked on each side by wings in a rich pilaster treatment of the renaissance
style.  An ornamental semi-circular grill, with the seals of the United States
and the State of Nebraska, was inserted in the arch, the top of which
terminated in imitation shell-work, while over the key- stone was represented a
youthful posidon taming an aquatic monster.

Surmounting the entablature of the wings were two allegorical figures
representing fisher maids catching and planting fish in the waters of the
country.  The exterior portions of the entrances were finished in imitation of
a roughly blasted tunnel, and depending from its roof were numerous stalactites
of a pale greenish hue.  The aquaria, of which there were 25, were each 7 feet
long, 3 feet high and 5 feet wide at the top; they extended along the sides of
the interior of the grotto, and were decorated inside with rock and aquatic
plants, and so arranged that all light entering the grotto first passed through
them.  Eight of the aquaria were used for showing such salt water fishes as
could be 
______________________________________________________________________________
(#) See statement of reapportionment and transfers of funds.

obtained off the New England coast near Woods Holl, Massachusetts, and the
balance were filled with a species indigenous to the Mississippi River and the
various fishes propagated by the Commission.  In each of the rotundas were
large oval pools so arranged as to be illuminated from below with electric
lights.  The salt water was circulated by means of two nickel pumps, located in
the basement of the building and driven by electricity.  A large filter was
also provided for filtering fresh water, and an eight-ton Remington ice machine
and air pump.  The details of construction of the aquaria and grotto including
water and air pipes, machinery, and supply and reservoir tanks are shown in the
accompanying plans.

In the rectangular space formed by the short arms of the grotto were exhibited,
as indicated on the accompanying plan, the material used for illustrating the
work of the three Divisions of the Commission.  The methods employed in the
fish cultural work were practically demonstrated by the hatching in regulation
troughs of rainbow and black-spotted trout, and grayling eggs, which were
shipped by express from Colorado and Montana during the Months of June and
July.  In August no work of this kind was attempted, though the methods were
illustrated by artificial eggs, but from September 18, to the close of the
Exposition the troughs were kept filled with quinnat salmon eggs shipped at
intervals from Baird Station, California.  This feature of the exhibit was one
of the most interesting and instructive, and received close attention
throughout the period of the Exposition.  As it was impracticable to secure
semi-buoyant eggs, like the shad, whitefish and pike perch, and floating eggs,
like the cod, pollock and flat-fish, the methods adopted in the hatching of
these were illustrated by means of artificial eggs made of rosin.  In addition
to the practical illustrations models of the various forms of apparatus used
were exhibited, including a model of the trout station at Leadville, Colorado, 
The process of taking eggs was shown by a lay figure of a spawn-taker with
quinnat salmon in his hands, in the act of stripping the eggs.  The work of
distribution was illustrated by photographs, drawings, and a working model of
the Commissioner's car No. 3, recently constructed by Harlan and Hollingsworth. 
In addition to this, three of the cars belonging to the Commission were on the
grounds from time to time with loads of fish, serving as a practical
illustration of this feature of the work.  The results of fish culture and the
scope of the work accomplished by the Commission during the fiscal year 1896-97
were shown by large charts and numbers of photographs and drawings.

The scientific functions and work of the Commission were set forth by models
and photographs of the exploring vessels "Albatross" and "Fish Hawk", by an
assortment of seines, dredges and nets, and by the deep-sea sounding apparatus
used in making collections in fresh and salt water.  In this section there was
also displayed a full collection of oyster shells, illustrating their sizes at
different ages, peculiarities common to various regions, materials used for the
attachment of spat, various objects to which young oysters, adhere, influence
of the bottom on the oyster's growth, and enemies and injuries caused by each. 
Among the objects of the American fisheries on exhibition were the following: 
Mounted groups of Northern fur-seals, Stellar's sea lions, casts of cetaceans,
140 casts of food-fishes (colored form living or fresh specimens)  and painted
casts if edible frogs.

Through the courtesy of Messrs. Tiffany & Company, of New York, a collection of
pearls, and pearl-bearing mollusks was shown, consisting of specimens of white,
pink and brown, copper-colored and fancy-colored pearls; a set of pearl bearing
shells and instruments for opening the same, a water telescope for finding the
mollusks, and illustrations of pearls.
specimens) and painted casts if edible frogs.

Through the courtesy of Messrs. Tiffany & Company, of New York, a collection of
pearls, and pearl-bearing mollusks was shown, consisting of specimens of white,
pink and brown, copper-colored and fancy-colored pearls; a set of pearl bearing
shells and instruments for opening the same, a water telescope for finding the
mollusks, and illustrations of pearls.

In the fisheries section, the various forms of nets, traps, weirs, pound nets,
seines, pots, dredges, tongs, etc., used in the capture of fresh-water products
were fully shown; together with characteristic types of fishing craft employed
in the American fisheries, among them the swift New England schooner, the
Florida smackee, the Chesapeake Bay Oyster pungy, the shad boat of the North
Carolina sounds, and the San Francisco market steamer.  In addition to these
were numerous large photographs, portraying the methods adopted in the
important commercial fisheries of the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coats and the
Great Lakes, and a series of crayon pictures illustrating the Alaskan fur-seal
fishery.  The fisheries of the United States were presented by states on a
large chart.

The following is a descriptive list of the articles exhibited by the
commission, arranged with reference to the Division to which they pertain:

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY SECTION.

Exploring Vessels.

Models of Steamers "Albatross" and "Fish Hawk".

Photographs of side view of steamer "Albatross" and forward deck of steamer
"Albatross", showing deep-sea sounding apparatus, etc.

Collecting Apparatus.

Seines and Nets.

Two Baird Seines, 50 by 150 feet long, for collecting shore and river fishes.  

Two small gauze towing nets,  for collection of minute surface material.  

One 8-foot beam trawl, for the investigation of fishing grounds; one model beam
trawl.  

Two surface nets, for collecting surface fishes and other animals.

One dip net.

Dredges:

One naturalist's boat dredge, for use from small boat or launch, for procuring
materials from bottom.

One naturalist's deep-sea dredge, for use from large vessels.

One Chester rake dredge, for collecting marine animals which burrow in the
bottom, suited for any depth.

Two oyster dredges, used in the investigation of oyster grounds.


Tangles:

One tangle for use on rocky bottom.
Accessories for Dredging and Trawling.

Sounding Wire:

One piece of sounding wire, large size.

One piece of sounding wire, common size.

Two splices in sounding wire.

Two splices in dredge rope.

Apparatus for preserving Collections.

Tank boxes containing copper tanks for storage and transportation of natural
history specimens.

Jars and bottles, assorted sizes.

German silver Naturalists forceps.

Apparatus for Deep-sea Sounding.

One tanner deep-sea sounding machine, operated by hand, the attachments consist
of Sigsbee-Belknap sounding rod with detachable weight, and the Tanner
automatic reversible case, with Negretti-Zambra deep-sea thermometer.

Results of Explorations

(Collections of marine animals, dry)

Crustaceans:

One lobster (Harmarus americanua.)
One Echinocerus setimanus.
One deep-sea crab (Geryon quinquedens)
One Echinocerus formaninatus.
One Pacific coast edible crab (Cancer magister)
One Mithrax hispidus.
One Othonia anisodon, (adult)
One Onthonia anisodon, (young)
Two mantis shrimp (Squilla empusa)
One spider crab (libinia emarginata)
One great spider crab (Lithodes maia)
One crayfish next or chimney.

Mollusks:

Oyster and other shells.
Oyster spat, 2 weeks to 3 months old, hard bottom.
Oyster spat, 2 months old, soft bottom.
Oysters, 1 to 4 years old, hard bottom.
Oysters, 1 to 5 years old soft bottom.
Oysters, 5 to 6 years old, hard bottom.
Oysters, 6 years old soft bottom.
Oysters, large mud bottom.
Oysters, 16 years old, soft bottom.
Oysters, 12 years old, hard bottom.
Blue point Oysters.
Oyster shells, greatly thickened, due to stunted growth at margin.
Glenwood, Shinnecock Bay, Roakway, Shrewsbury, Rappahannock River, James River
(Newport News Va.), Saddlerock, and East river Oysters.
Oysters from Hampton Virginia, 18 months old.
Oysters from Tangier Sound, Md., 18 months old.
Oysters from Chincoteauge, Va.
Oysters from bottom of scow, Port Royal, S. C. less than 1 year old.
Planted Oysters from creeks north of Winyah Bay, S. C.
Oysters from Troups creek, near Brunswick, Ga.
Raccoon Oysters from Cattle wharf, Charlotte Harbor, Fla.
Oysters from Rock Point Bed, Tampa Bay, Fla. showing inclusions of mud on inner
surface.
Oysters from Catfish Point Oyster Bar, Hillsburough Bay, Fla. (Source of supply
for Tampa.)
Oysters from Little Sarasota Bay, Fla. a fine grade of oysters, showing  
inclusions of mud on inner surface.
Oysters from Cape Hayes Oyster bed, Charlotte Harbor, Fla. (Important ground,
but not much worked until 1888).
Raccoon Oysters from mouth of Crooked River Carrabelle, Fla.
Oysters from Indian Point Bar, Fla., extra large, showing inclusions of mud on
inner surface.
Oysters from Cat Point Bar, Apalachicola Bay, Fla., showing inclusions of mud
on inner surface.
Oysters from St. Marks River Fla.
Oysters from Cedar Keys, Fla. the average size of those sent to market, showing
inclusions of mud on inner surface.
Oysters from St. Vincent, Fla.
Oysters from Watson's Bayou, East Arm of St. Andrews Bay, Fla.
Oysters from Porters Bar, St. George Sound, Fla.
Oysters from Sylvia's Bay, St. George Sound, Fla.
Oysters from Dog Lake, La.
Planted oysters, 1 year old, from Escambia Bay Fla.
Jack Stout Oysters, La.
Oysters from Calcasieu Pass, La.
Oysters from Matagorda Bay, Texas, average size.
Young oysters from planted beds, Galveston Bay, Texas.
"Saddle Rocks: of Texas Cedar Bayou, Texas, 125 will often fill a barrel.
Ostrea lurida, growing on shells of Oystrea virginica in San Francisco Bay. 
The native oyster tends to cause much damage in this way.
Ostrea virginica; transplanted from the Atlantic Coast to San Francisco   Bay
and there raised for the market.
Ostrea virginica, Guaymas, West coast of Mexico, used as food.
Ostrea lurida, Pacific coast of the United States, used as food.
Ostrea virginica, Guaymas, Mexico, formerly shipped to the San Francisco  
market.
Ostrea lurida, the native oyster of the Pacific coast of the United States from
Willapa Bay, Wash.
Ostrea lurida, the native oyster of the Pacific coast of the United States,
from San Francisco Bay, Cal.
Razor clam.
Flat Razor clams (Machaera patula.)  Alaska to California used for food.
Giant clams (Schixothaerus nuttallii); Pacific Coast of North America; used as
food; also New England coast, range:  Arctic Ocean to South   Carolina.
Long Clam; soft clam (Mya arenaria) Europe and Atlantic coast; also introduced
on Pacific coast of the United States; used as food and bait.
Large clams.
Quahog, round clam (Mercenaria Mercenaria); Gulf of St. Lawrence to Gulf of
Mexico; used as food and bait.
Clams (mactra planulata); Alaska; used as food.
Sea clam-surf clam (Mactra solidissima); Labrador to Gulf of Mexico; used as
food and bait.
Bloody clams (Argina pexta); Massachusetts to Gulf of Mexico; occasionally used
as bait.
Little neck clams, hard shelled clam, carpet-shell (Tapes Staminea); Alaska to
California; extensively used as food.
Little-neck clams (Saxidomus aratus); much esteemed as food; San Diego, Cal.
(Hemphill)
Round clams (Saxidomus nuttalii); Pacific coast of North America; used as food.
Cockle (Cardium corbis) Pacific coast of North America; edible.
Horse mussel (Modiola modiolus); Greenland to New Jersey; Europe; North Pacific  
Ocean; used as food and bait.
California mussel (Mytilus californianus); Pacific coast North America; used as
food.
Oyster growing on twig of tree.
Sheet of rubber containing oyster spat.
Rubber shoe with young oyster growing; Connecticut
Anchor lantern with oyster growing in it.
Earthenware ink bottle with oyster growing on it.
Glass bottle with oysters growing on it.
One-year-old oysters growing on gutta percha cable across Housatonic River at
Stratford, Conn.
Spat about 2 months old attached to crushed stone off Norwalk, Conn.
Crushed stone; used on planted bed for collecting oyster spat; recent  
innovation.
Jingle clutch; used on planted beds for collecting oyster spat; Composed of
shells of anomia and other light mollusks, and very highly regarded under some
conditions.
Oyster spat growing on child's leather shoe.
(Abalones haliotus); California.
Pearl oyster (Meleagrina margaritifera); Gulf of California.
Giant scallop (Pecten tenuicostatus); Labrador to New Jersey; used as food.
Common scallop (Pecten irradians); Massachusetts to Gulf of Mexico; used as
food.

Pearls: (Loaned by Tiffany & Company, New York.)

Collection of white, pink, brown, copper and fancy colored pearls.
Baraque and other forms of pearls.
Set of pearl bearing shells.
Pearl pryers.
Pearl opening forceps.
Water telescope.
Illustrations of pearls.

Enemies of the Oyster.

Starfish attacking oysters.
Starfish.
Egg cases of the periwinkles (Fulgar carica and sycotypus canaliculatus)
Starfish (Asterias forbgesii) and small specimens clustered in shell of  
periwinkle; off Norwalk, Conn.
Starfish, feeding on common mussels (Mytilus edulis); Providence River, R.I.
Periwinkle (Sycoktypus canaliculatus); Massachusetts to Gulf of Mexico;  
Destructive to oysters.
Starfish (Asterias forbesii); medium specimen in shell of periwinkle;   
Connecticut.
Sea Snail (Neverita duplicata); Massachusetts to Gulf of Mexico.
Drills (Purpura lapillus)
Oyster shells showing the effect of boring sponge (Clione sulphurea); Tangier
Sound, Virginia.
Drills (Urosalpinx cinerea); Massachusetts to Gulf of Mexico;  also introduced
with oysters in San Fancisco Bay.

o0o-

Fish Culture Section.

Transportation apparatus.

Model of Commission of Fish and Fisheries Car No. 3

This model represents the most modern type of car in use by the Commission.  It
was built by the Harlan and Hollingsworth Company, of Wilmington, Delaware, in
November, 1897.  It is 67 feet 10 inches long, 9 feet 6 inches wide and 13 feet
10 inches high.  The car is equipped with Pullman trucks and Allen paper
wheels, and provided with all modern appliances for travel found on passenger
trains.  In one end of the car is an office which is furnished with sleeping
accommodations for two men; an ice box with a capacity of one and a half tons,
and a 500-gallon water tank.  In the other end of the car are the kitchen and
machine rooms, containing a 5-horse power boiler and water and air pumps which
are required for the transportation of fish.  The fish are transported in cans
and square tanks which are carried in two compartments extending along the side
of the car from the office to the machine room.  These compartments are 30 feet
long, 3 feet wide, and 25 inches deep.  A constant circulation of water and air
is maintained by the use of the pumps, the water being taken from a tank which
is carried beneath the car between the trucks, of a capacity of 600 gallons,
and pumped from this lower tank to the pressure tank above referred to, from
which it passes by gravity into the cans, then again back to the lower tank,
etc.  In the center of the car, over the transportation compartments, are four
berths together with a number of lockers and closets for the use of the crew. 
The care is also fitted up for the hatching of shad eggs while en route, the
McDonald automatic jar being used for this purpose in the same way as the
hatcheries.  

Round-shouldered Transportation cans form of apparatus most commonly used by
the Commission for the transportation of fry and yearlings; made of light
steel, tinned, with a capacity of ten gallons each.  

A square transportation tank, in the shape of a 24-inch cube, made of heavy
galvanized iron, and used principally for the transportation of the yearling
and adult fishes on the cars of the Commission.  

One Messenger's Bucket, used for drawing off and aerating water while enroute
with fishes in baggage cars.

Hatching Apparatus.

Shad table, equipped with McDonald hatching jars for hatching shad and pike
perch eggs.

Hatching troughs, equipped for hatching salmon and trout eggs.

McDonald cod box, for illustrating the methods employed in hatching the eggs of
the cod and pollock, white-fish and other marine species.

Accessories-

Egg scale, used for computing the number of shad, pike perch or whitefish in
McDonald jars.

Funnels for shad eggs, used in pouring eggs into hatching jars or buckets.

Pans for washing eggs.

Siphon bags, made of cheese cloth, and used in connection with a siphon cage
and a piece of rubber tube for the purpose of drawing off water form aquarium
containing fry; also by messengers, in transporting fishes of various kinds, in
changing water on fishes en route.

Siphon cages, used in connection with siphon bags, and tube, for changing water
on fish.

Aquarium, used for collecting and holding shad fry as they pass from the
hatching jars.

Nippers made of brass, and used for the purpose of picking out dead trout eggs.

Meat chopper, for preparing food for fry at various stations of the Commission.

Hatching and Rearing Establishments:

Model of Commission of Fish and Fisheries Hatchery at Leadville, Colorado

This station is located in Lake County, Colorado, six miles west of Leadville,
on a Government reservation of 1,935 acres.  It was established in 1889, for
the purpose of propagating the black-spotted and other native varieties of
trout, and the introduction of species from Eastern waters.  The hatchery is
built of red sandstone, and is equipped with a sufficient number of troughs to
hatch over 6,000,000 eggs.  The water supply is obtained from Rock Creek and
from springs on the reservation.  The temperature of the water throughout the
year varies from 37 to 46 degrees.  During the past season over 5,000,000 brook
trout eggs were collected form the waters of Colorado and handled in this
hatchery as a result of this introduction of this species into the Colorado
waters.

Photographs of Hatching Stations:

Green Lake, Maine, Station; for the collection of eggs of the landlocked
salmon, brook trout and golden brook trout.

Craig Brook, Maine, Station; for the propagation of eggs of the Atlantic
salmon, brook trout and land locked salmon.  In connection with this station a
small auxiliary station is operated at Grand Lake stream, Maine, for the
collection of the eggs of the landlocked salmon.

St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Station; located one and a half miles from the town of
St. Johnsbury, and devoted exclusively to the propagation of the brook trout.

Gloucester, Massachusetts, Station; located on Ten Pound Island, in Gloucester
harbor, and established for the propagation of the marine species, chiefly cod,
pollock, mackerel and lobster.

Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Station; located in the town of Woods Hole, and
devoted chiefly to the propagation of cod and lobsters, though eggs of several
others of the marine species are handled, including the flat-fish, mackerel,
tautog and sea bass.

Cape Vincent, New York, Station; located on the St. Lawrence river, near its
head; established for the propagation of white-fish, pike perch, lake trout. 
It is utilized also for the hatching of quinnat salmon eggs from the Pacific
Coast.

Battery Station, Maryland; located at the head of Chesapeake Bay, four miles
from the town of Havre de Grace, Maryland, for the purpose of collecting and
hatching the eggs of the shad, striped bass, and white perch.

Braan Point, Maryland, Station; situated on the Potomac River, twelve miles
below Washington, D.C. and used chiefly for collecting and hatching eggs of the
shad.

Fish Ponds, Washington, D.C. used for year for the propagation of carp, now
chiefly devoted to the rearing of black bass, crappie, and shad.

Central Station Washington, D.C.; This station is provided with apparatus for
hatching the eggs of the shad and salmonidae, also as a distributing center for
the stations in the vicinity, and as headquarters for the car and messenger
service.  Attached to this station is a small aquarium used to exhibit fresh
and salt water fishes and which also affords opportunity for natural history
study.

Wytheville, in Wythe county, and devoted principally to the propagation of the
rainbow trout, rock bass, black bass and crappie.

Erwin, Tennessee, Station; established in 1897 for the propagation of brook
trout, rainbow trout, black bass, and crappie and located in Unicoi county, two
and a half miles from the town of Erwin.

Put in Bay, Ohio, Station; located on the island of Put in Bay, on Lake Erie,
and is the largest whitefish and pike perch station in the world, having a
capacity of 200,000,000 eggs of the whitefish and 500,000,000 eggs of the pike
perch.

Northville, Michigan, Station; located in the town of Northville, twenty-five
miles from Detroit, and established for the propagation of brook trout, but
during the past year (1898) over 11,000,000 eggs of the lake trout were
handled.

Alpena, Michigan, Station; located in the town of Alpena, on Lake Michigan, and
devoted exclusively to the collecting and hatching of the eggs of the
whitefish.

Duluth, Minnesota, Station; located at the Western extremity of Lake Superior,
in the town of Duluth, on the Lester River, and established for the collection
of and hatching of eggs of the lake trout, white fish and pike perch.

Manchester, Iowa, Station; located four miles from the town of Manchester;
equipped for the collecting and hatching of eggs of the brook trout and rainbow
trout; also for the propagation of bass and crappie in ponds.

Quincy, Illinois, Station; for the collection of black bass and of fish
indigenous to the Mississippi Valley.  The ponds for the retention of these
fish are located at Meredosis, Illinois, forty miles from Quincy.

Neosho, Missouri, Station; in the Ozark region of the State of Missouri, for
the propagation of rainbow trout, black bass and crappie.

San Marcos, Texas, Station; established on the San Marcos River, for the
propagation of black bass, rock bass and crappie.


Leadville, Colorado, Station; located on the Rocky Mountains, four miles form
Leadville, and receiving its water supply from Rock Creek.  It was established
for the propagation of the black-spotted, yellow-fin and rainbow trouts. 
Several millions of the eggs of the brook trout have also been collected and
hatched at this station.

Bozeman, Montana, Station; located in the Gallatin Valley, four miles from the
town of Bozeman, and devoted to the propagation of black-spotted or mountain
trout, the brook trout and the grayling.

Baird, California, Station; the first salmon station established on the Pacific
Coast, and devoted exclusively to the propagation of the quinnat salmon.

Battle Creek, an auxiliary station, operated in connection with Baird Station,
at which 50,000,000 eggs of the quinnat salmon were collected during the season
of 1897.

Fort Gaston, California, Station; on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation and
devoted to the propagation of the steelhead trout, the silver salmon, and the
quinnat salmon.  Two auxiliary stations, one at Redwood, California, and the
other at Kerbel, California, are also operated in connection with this station.

Clackamas, Oregon, Station; situated on the banks of the Clackamas River a
tributary to the Columbia River, and devoted to the collecting and hatching of
eggs of the quinnat salmon.  In connection with this station three auxiliary
stations are operated, one on the Sandy River, Oregon, distant sixteen miles,
one on the Little White Salmon River, Washington, and one on the Rogue River,
Oregon.

Methods and Results of Fish Culture.

Model of the Spawntaker:

This figure represented the manner in which the spawntaker holds the fish when
stripping the eggs.  The eggs flow from the fish into the pan when a gentle
pressure is applied to the sides by the right hand of the operator. 
Immediately afterwards the eggs are fertilized by treating the male in the same
manner.

Charts:

Hatching and rearing stations of the Commission of Fish and Fisheries, with
output of each for the fiscal year 1896-97.

Statistics of the shad fisheries of the United States, showing the effect of
artificual propagation.

o0o-

FISHERIES SECTION.

Mammals:

Cetaceans:  Cast of blackfish head, grampus head, bottlenosed porpoise, young
harbor porpoise.

Carnivores; Mounted groups of Northern fur seals and Steller's sea-lions.

Batrachians:  Casts of bullfrog, pickerel frog, and green frog.

Fishes; Casts of 150 species of marine and fresh-water food fishes, living
marine and fresh-water fishes in aquaria.

Invertebrates- Living crabs, mollusks, etc., in aquarium.

Fishery Vessels and Apparatus:

Vessels:  (Models)

Fishing Schooner, "Fredonia", (Rigged model; scale 1/2 inch to 1 foot).  A new
type of fishing schooner designed for the Atlantic deep-sea food fisheries by
the Late Edward Burgess, of Boston, Massachusetts.

Key West Smackee:  (Rigged model; scale 1 inch to 1 foot).  Representing the
type of welled fishing boats used in the market fishery of Key West, Florida.

Chesapeake Bay Oyster Pungy:  The Schooner W.F. McEwan, of which this is a
miniature, is the typical oyster pungy of the Chesapeake Bay region.

Croatan Sound Fishing Boat:  This model represents the type of boat used in
large numbers in the gill-net shad fisheries of Croatan Sound, and adjacent
waters, in North Carolina.

Market Steamer, "Golden Gate"; (Rigged  Model; scale 1/2 inch to 1 foot.)  The
Golden Gate was built in 1891 for employment in the market-fishery from San
Francisco, California, and is a representative of the type of small steamers
built to fish from San Francisco.



Nets:

Model of pound net used in Lake Michigan for the capture of whitefish and
lake-herring.

Floating fish trap used on the Atlantic Coast.

Fish slide, made of wooden slats set in slooping frame with box at upper end;
used in the Roanoke River, North Carolina, in the capture of shad endeavoring
to find their way above the falls into the head-waters of the streams.


Model of brush weir; made of brush, heart-shaped, with leaders made of brush,
held in position by upright stakes fastened in bed sills and balasted; used on
the coast of Maine.

Model of North Carolina Herring weir; used on Coast of North Carolina for the
capture of Herring.

Model of whitefish gill net; used on the Great Lakes for the capture of white
fish.

Herring gill net.

Minnow seines.

Cast-net; used chiefly in the South Atlantic and Gulf States for the capture of
fish and shrimp.

Fyke nets; types in common use on the Atlantic Coast.

Haul Seine.

River Seines.

Bag-net seines.

Model of trammel net; used for the capture of striped bass and other fishes of
Chesapeake Bay.

Traps and Pots:

Models of lobster pots; used on the New England coast, in the capture of
lobsters.

Eel pots.

Appliances for Seizing:

Two pairs of oyster tongs; types of those used in the Chesapeake Bay and
tributaries.

Pair of Oyster nippers; used in the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries.

Pair of deep-water oyster tongs; improved deep-water tongs, made of galvanized
iron for use in water from 30 to 200 feet deep.

Scallop dredge or scrape; used in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, on hard
bottoms.

Clam Rake; used at Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

Clam Hoe; style used at Provincetown, Massachusetts..

Hand Claw; used for gathering hand clams and scallops at Wellfleet, Cape Cod
and the coast of Maine.

Sponge Hook; used at Key West in the collection of sponges.

Accessories:

Water glass; used in the sponge fishery around Key West, Florida.

Models of floating fish cars and live boxes; used in keeping fish alive for the
market.

Crayon pictures, illustrating the seal fisheries of Alaska.

o0o-

LIVE FISH DISPLAY.

At the opening of the Exposition on June 1, the aquarium contained a large
variety of fresh and salt fishes, together with a number of aquatic
invertebrates.  The fresh-water fishes comprised the brook trout, rainbow
trout, black-spotted, yellow fin trout, lake trout, steelhead trout,
large-mouth and small-mouth bass, crappie, strawberry bass, sunfishes, and the
characteristic native fishes of the Mississippi Valley, including the largest
obtainable specimens of sturgeon, catfish, and paddle-fish, several cat-fish
weighing forty pounds and over.  These large specimens, with a number of
ornamental species like gold-fish, tench and golden ide, were displayed in oval
pools under the rotunda and proved a most attractive feature.  Aquatic reptiles
were represented by living specimens of mud puppies, terrapin, edible frogs,
etc.  In the salt-water tanks about 50 varieties of food, game and bait fishes,
of the Atlantic coast were represented by specimens of various ages, including
log-fish, skates, sea-bass, king-fish tautog, chogset, sculpin, scup, toadfish,
sea robin, pollock, cod, hake and flounders.  Lobsters, crayfish, crabs and
various kinds of mollusks were also exhibited.

As anticipated, the water for the aquarium and hatching troughs which was
furnished by the Exposition Company and taken from the Missouri River proved
unsuitable for keeping alive the salmon and trout during the summer months, and
it became necessary to utilize the Remington Ice Machine early in June for
reducing the temperature of the water.  It furnished an abundance of cool
water, not only for the tanks in which the salmon were kept, but also for the
hatching troughs.  During the months of June, July, August and September, the
temperature of the water in the trout tanks did not exceed 60 degrees, though
it varied form 51 to 60 with an average of 55 degrees.  In the tanks in which
the native fishes were kept, the temperature ranged during the month of June
from 63 to 86 degrees, reaching a maximum of 91 in August.  All the water was
filtered before being used in the Aquarium or hatching troughs, but its
condition was very poor, many injurious parasites being abundant and fungus
developing very rapidly.  During the latter part of June, the losses from
fungus were so heavy that it appeared as though it would be necessary to
abandon certain parts of the fresh water exhibit.  Many remedies were tried,
including a weak solution of alcohol, but the results were not satisfactory. 
The only remedy that proved efficacious was the ordinary Turk Island salt which
was used in large quantities, as much as one and a half sacks being used daily. 
Where the disease had secured a strong foot-hold in the aquarium, the water was
drawn down until only about eight inches remained, when several gallons of salt
were thrown in, the water becoming so salt that the fish would turn over on
their backs, but they recovered as soon as fresh water was introduced, and were
in most cases cured.

Collections of Fishes;

The majority of the native fishes exhibited were collected from the Mississippi
River, under the direction of Dr. S.P. Bartlett, the superintendent of the
Quincy, Illinois, Station.  Supplies were also received from Manchester, Iowa;
Neosho, Missouri, and from the Fish Commission Station at Lincoln.  The
black-spotted, yellow fin, rainbow, lake steelhead, and loch leven trout were
furnished by the Commission Stations at Leadville, Northville, Manchester, and
Neosho.  The marine species, embracing about fifty varieties of important food,
game fishes of the Atlantic Coast were collected under the direction of Mr.
E.F. Locke.  At Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and transported in one of the
Commission cars to Omaha.

The salt-water exhibit did not prove as satisfactory as was anticipated or as
it had at previous expositions, many of the best specimens dying within a few
weeks after the opening of the Exposition.  This was due not only to injuries
received in transit, but also the high temperature of the water, which varied
from 64 to 76 degrees in June.  In order to successfully exhibit marine species
in cities like Omaha, where the temperature becomes very high in summer,
arrangements will have to be made so that the water can be kept at a
temperature of 65 to 68 degrees.  The salt-water exhibit was finally abandoned
in August and fresh-water fishes substituted.

o0o-

Mr. R.J. Conway, assisted by Mr. W.P. Sauerhoof, to whose untiring energy and
attention much of the success attained was due, was in charge of the aquarium
and general management of the exhibit.

Valuable assistance was also rendered the Representative by Dr. H.M. Smith and
Mr. Sauerhoof in collecting and preparing articles for exhibition; also by Mr.
L.G. Harron, the superintendent of the aquarium in Washington, in the
installation of the aquarium and during the opening days of the Exposition;
also to Station Superintendents, Frank N. Clark, E.A. Tulian, H.D. Dean, E.F.
Locke, R.S. Johnson, S.P. Bartlett, and G.H. Lambson, for collections of fishes
for the aquarium.

The Commission again desires to tender its thanks to the Union Tank LIne
Company of New York, for the loan of two tank cars for transporting salt-water
from Woods Hole, Massachusetts, to Omaha, also the Michigan Central; the
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul;  The Omaha, Kansas City and Eastern, and the
Union Pacific Railroad Companies, for free transportation of cars with
fresh-water fishes; and to the Michigan Central Railroad Company for the
transportation of Car No. 4. with salt-water fishes from Buffalo, New York to
Chicago; and to the Missouri Pacific Railroad COmpany for the movement of all
cars of the Commission to and from the Exposition grounds free.

We are also under obligations to the Nebraska State Fish Commission for fishes
furnished the aquarium and for assistance rendered in making collections from
various lakes and rivers in the state; to the Smithsonian Institution and
United States National Museum for the loan of various forms of apparatus and
other articles exhibited; to the Exposition COmpany for the water furnished for
the aquarium and electric power for the operation of the salt-water pumps and
ice machine.

Cost of Exhibit.

The following is a classified statement of the expenditures made by the
Commission on account of preparation, installation and maintenance of the
aquarium and other exhibits:

Services,-------------------------------------$2,990.68
Clerical service,-----------------------------   526.45
Contract of special services,-----------------   162.00
Travel and subsistence,----------------------- 3,684.30
Freight, Cartage, etc.,----------------------- 1,841.97
Exhibits, Specimens and apparatus,------------ 1,175.17
Exhibition cases, frames and aquaria,--------- 9,321.94
Supplies,------------------------------------- 1,081.35
Decorations,----------------------------------    17.06
Heat, light and power,------------------------   222.50
Office expenses,------------------------------    92.40
Telegraphic service,--------------------------      .61
Total,--$21,113.23


W. de C. RAVENEA,

Representative, Commission of Fish and Fisheries.