THE S CUPPA UG AND THE FAIR MAID. 95 



western shore and move up along its edge. They are said, however, to 

 drift slowly backward and forward with the tide, especially at the entrance 

 of this bay. At this time they are very sluggish, and are said sometimes 

 to appear as if blind, and can frequently be taken with the hand, or a 

 very short scoop-net. 



"According to Capt. Edwards, of "Wood's Holl, in proceeding to their 

 breeding-grounds, on the coast of New England, they are taken at Mon- 

 tauk Point three weeks earlier than at Wood's Holl, and a week earlier at 

 Wood's Holl than at Hyannis, still farther east. 



" The Scup feed upon a great variety of marine animals, such as worms, 

 small crustaceans, mollusks, &c, and take the hook very freely during the 

 greater part of their stay; in fact, the smaller ones become veritable 

 nuisances to the fishermen, from the readiness with which thev pounce 

 upon the baited hook whenever thrown overboard. 



"The flesh of the Scup is very much prized by most persons, as it is 

 firm and flaky, and usually sweet, although occasionally a bitter flavor 

 detracts from its palatability. Since the settlement of the coast by the 

 whites, it has been by far the most important food-fish of Fisher's Island 

 and Vineyard Sound, Narragansett Bay and of Buzzard's Bay ; and the 

 rapid diminution in number has caused the greatest solicitude. 



" Of their abundance on the south coast of New England in former 

 times, almost incredible accounts are given. They swarmed to such a 

 degree that their capture ceased to be a matter of sport. The line when 

 thrown overboard could be immediately withdrawn with the assurance of 

 having a fish on each one of two hooks. Any number of fishermen from 

 boats could take five hundred to one thousand pounds a day without the 

 slightest difficulty, the limits of the catch being simply the ability to find 

 a sale. 



" In flavor the flesh of this fish is surpassed by very few others on the 

 coast, although its superabundance caused it to be undervalued. The 

 period of greatest development in number of this fish coincided with that 

 of the absence of the bluefish, and since the return of the latter to the 

 coast of New England the Scup has become scarce, although still a very 

 important object of pursuit. 



" The Scup is a fish that grows with rapidity, and at two years is almost 

 of sufficient size to be marketable. Throughout the summer young fish of 

 the spring spawning are to be seen floating around in the eel-grass and 

 over the sandy bottoms, having attained a length of from two and a half 

 to three and a quarter inches by the 1st of October. When these fish 

 reappear the next season, thus completing one year of existence, they 

 measure about six inches, six to eight or nine weighing a pound : and by 

 the 1st of September attain an average length of eight inches, including 

 the tail, and a breadth of three inches. In the third year of existence, or 

 at the age of two years, they have increased considerably, though not so 

 rapidly as was once supposed, measuring, on their reappearance, about 



