124 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



the latter fish moving along the coast at the spawning season of the scup and sea 

 bass might draw largely upon the floating eggs of the latter and lobster embryos. 

 Large schools of meuhaden feeding in the brackish water over rich oyster beds might 

 at the spawning season of the latter diminish materially the chances of so thick 

 setting as might have been otherwise made had the fish not been present to strain so 

 effectively the surface waters, with the chance of securing so many of the floating 

 eggs and very young embryos. A detailed study of just these conditions has not yet 

 been made, but such evidence as we have is negative. Along this part of the coast 

 the scup, sea bass, and menhaden appear to be spawning at about the same time, the 

 last fish having, however, removed up into brackish water retreats away from the other 

 food-fishes. There are, however, large numbers of immature menhaden present which 

 are not concerned with the business of spawning, and of whose movements as they 

 first migrate into these waters very little is definitely known. At the season and 

 localities covered by this work, however, there was no material found in the food 

 products of the menhaden which was derived at the expense of other food-fishes. 

 Nothing, indeed, was found but such minute organisms as are present in all these 

 localities studied, and so abundant and evenly distributed through the surface waters 

 that their quantities could never be materially diminished through being preyed upon 

 by the menhaden. These organisms also are entirely unavailable to the great majority 

 of fishes, but being thus taken directly by the menhaden they serve indirectly in the 

 food supply of the many predaceous species to which Brevoortia tyrannus itself becomes 

 a prey. Problems, therefore, which involve the consideration of this last species, with 

 any regulations which are to be proposed for it, are very significant. 



It may be urged, finally, that these many brackish-water inlets and estuaries, 

 which so plentifully indent our coast, are regions of especial importance, entitled to 

 the most careful consideration, because they are intrusted with so much embryonic and 

 larval life of the migratory inhabitants of the coast, have such a rich and varied food 

 supply, and are so much protected from the larger invaders. This is the only series 

 of conditions to be treated in oyster-culture, and will prove, no doubt, to be a very 

 important step in the study of many others. Such places, moreover, are the nearest at 

 hand to which all regulations can be the most effectively tried, which can be made 

 the most evident examples for public opinion. 



U. S. Fish Commission, 



Woods Boll, Mass., September 11, 1893. 



