342 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



up now and a few hatclimg-troughs with Salmo levenensis ova in, but 

 the ponds outside will be laborious work. The hatching-house is 80 

 feet long by 30 feet, and built of granite. The first fry-pond is just fin- 

 ished, and is 60 feet by 4 feet, the bottom made of concrete and the 

 walls built up with granite and Portland cement (three of sand and one 

 part cement). This makes a capital pond. I will try and remember to 

 send you a drawing of the fish-house as it is intended to be when fin- 

 ished. I think my brother has some drawings in hand, but probably it 

 will be some we^ks before I can send it. 



POIiL,OCK-FISHIIVO IIV BOSTOIV BAY. 



By S. J. MARTIW. 



There is something strange about the i^ollock-fishing. 



All through the summer the pollock are caught on the eastern grounds 

 as far east as "Granman" Bank. After the 1st of November you can't 

 find a pollock on the eastern shore. I have talked Avith four cap- 

 tains of eastern vessels. They tell me they don't come in on the east- 

 ern shore to spawn ; if they did, there would not be so many eastern 

 vessels fishing in Boston Bay. There is not a rocky spot in Boston Bay 

 that has not plenty of pollock, although there is one particular i)lace 

 where the vessels all anchor. This is called the Old Southeast. It is 

 7 miles southeast from Half-way Eock. I have seen 75 sail of vessels 

 at anchor in a place half a mile square. They lie so near together that 

 they take the oars to i^ush the vessels apart, and they have seines from 

 one to another; with a sudden change of wind they have to cut cables 

 to get clear. When it is moderate some of the vessels make fast to the 

 vessel at anchor. Most of the vessels carry ten men each. They fish 

 with two lines to a man. Some of the vessels have caught 30,000 

 pounds in 24 hours. They use some fresh bait, but mostly clams; the 

 older the clams the better. They use clams that have been carried to 

 the Banks. There are 40 sail of eastern vessels up here fishing for pol- 

 lock. Sometimes on a clear night they catch as many as they do in the 

 day. The ijollock this fall have brought a good price, 80 cents per hun- 

 dred pounds round. Last fall they sold for GO cents a hundred pounds. 

 The fish are large; the last ones averaged 12 pounds each. There is 

 great excitement in catching them. Where the vessels lie so near, all 

 hands may be heard shouting over the entire fleet. 



Gloucester, Mass., November 22, 1881. 



