Laboratory studies to determine the effect of striped bass egg sedimentation were conducted and a mean hatch of 35.7 percent was recorded for eggs placed on coarse sand while eggs placed on plastic had an average hatch of 36.4 percent. In comparison, the average hatch on silt-sand was 13.1 percent and 3.2 percent on silt-clay-sand substrate. None of the eggs deposited on a muck-detritus substrate hatched. Further egg studies indicated that the percent hatch improved with the period of time eggs were suspended prior to sedimentation. Preliminary observations concerning white bass egg development and notes useful in approximating the time of ovulation are presented. Larvae from the striped bass female X white bass male cross are compared with larvae resulting from the reciprocal cross (white bass female X striped bass male). Meristic measurements useful in distinguishing fingerling hybrids (striped bass female X white bass mde) from fingerling striped bass or whi,te bass are listed and meristic characters for the back-cross (hybrid male X striped bass female) and the striped bass female X white bass male hybrid are described for thc~ first time.
