Forest and Stream, November 11, 1880

A TERRAPIN LAW SUGGESTED.

Sea -- TerrapinNatural resources -- Conservation - Game

In commenting upon the working of the law regulating the size of lobsters to be sent to market, the New York Sun thinks that something similar should be enacted to preserve the gelatinous terrapin from extinction. It says: "Since the excellent lobster law went into force restricting the capture of decapods less than 10 1-2 inches in length, the supply has been steady. The price has risen in New York, because the demand is ever on the increase in consequence of the increased centralization of population here. And it might be well to follow out the same plan with regard to terrapin, and restrict the capture to specimens fully six inches in length. Plenty of much smaller ones come into market, some less than four inches in length. These are not stewed, but are utilized for terrapin soup. A terrapin law would do no harm. The diamond-backed fellows from the Chesapeake fetch $18 a dozen; those from further South are now fetching only $10 per dozen."

EGGS OF SPANISH MACKEREL, PORGEE, ANCHOVY AND OYSTER.

Sea -- Finfish - Catch : MackeralSea -- Finfish - Catch : Shad and herringSea -- Finfish - Catch : Other fishSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Other

During the past week your correspondent dropped in at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and had the pleasure of again meeting Mr. John A. Ryder, of this institution, who has been prosecuting his observations with the United States Fish Commission at Havre de Grace during the past summer on the food of the adult and young shad. The latter information was in great part gained at the Navy Yard hatching, at Washington, D. C., respecting the growth of the roe shad. Mr. Ryder's coming report of his observations and study will be of a very interesting character, and is looked forward to with great eagerness by students of this branch of natural sciences.

While at Mobjack Bay, western shore, Chesapeake, Mr. R. commenced his work on the development of the Spanish mackerel, and he tells me he has discovered the eggs of this delicious food fish float immediately after being ejected, and hatch in twenty-four hours. He succeeded in hatching them indoors in a pan of water in this time, changing the water but twice.

The eggs of the common porgee likewise float and hatch in the same space of time. The spawn of the filo or food fish he found were of a green color, and but 1-50th of an inch in diameter. In relating to your correspondent some of his interesting discoveries, he stated that the American anchovy's eggs, when emitted, have four minute threads attached to them, all growing from one point, which at first are tightly wrapped around the egg, but which unwind and catch on blades of grass, seaweed, etc., etc., thus tethering it, as it were, until the fish is hatched. The egg of the American anchovy, he tells me, is somewhat buoyant.

Col. MacDonald, of the Virginia Fish Commission, is getting up a machine for the hatching of the floating eggs of the cod, Spanish mackerel and porgee, which we understand is of very ingenious structure.

Mr. Ryder gave me some very interesting points from his study of the oyster while with the Maryland Fish Commission in July. In eighty-two days after being spawned young oysters were collected that had grown nearly two inches, and some that measured 1-8 of an inch in diameter, showing that the American variety develops much more rapidly than that of Europe.

Maj. Ferguson, of the Maryland Fish Commission, has selected a pond in a favorable locality, and intends to modify and arrange it after the French plan, for the continuing his observations and prosecuting his experiments regarding the breeding of the American oyster, and there is no doubt that what has been gained this summer will lead to perfection in what has long been looked to as a coming and valuable branch of industry. Mr. Ryder also discovered that the eggs of the soft shell clam develop like those of the fresh water mussel, and succeeded in impregnating the ova, after discovering by microscope and removing the mail spermatozoa and female spawn in proper season.

HOMO.