412 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



from wliicb letter and a newspaper clipping of a few days later tlie 

 following' is taken: 



Capt. Franklin D. Langsford, of Lanesville, Mass., while out in a 

 dory in Ipswich Bay, struck a swordfisli with a harpoon. The fish at 

 once turned upon them, thrusting his sword through the dory and into 

 jlr. Langsford several inches, striking him near the base of the spine. 

 On August 12 the captain died from peritonitis. The fish that drove 

 his sword through the boat weighed over 300 pounds, and the sword 

 measured about 4 feet in length, half of it being broken off in the boat. 

 This is the first accident of the kind which has resulted in the loss of 

 life that is known to have been recorded here.* 



Mackerel, bluefish, codfish, etc., off Xoetheastern Mas- 

 sachusetts. — Mr. James W. Elliott, keeper of the Plum Island Life- 

 Saving station, near Newburyport, Mass., in a letter dated April 19, 

 18SG, gives the following note on the fisheries near that station : 



" The first mackerel caught near Xewburyport was taken June 10, 

 1885, and small catches were made for a few days 5 then no more were 

 seen until June 25, when small schools were seen in the bay well off 

 shore, a few being caught nearly every day up to August 23, when large 

 schools made their appearance and many were caught by seines. They 

 remained for a few days and then left for other grounds. At intervals 

 of from a week to ten days they returned, and during all the time there 

 were some caught within a radius of 15 miles of this place. The last 

 school of any amount was here about September 30, when for a few 

 days many were caught in sight of this station. 



"The first bluefish was seen on August 9, 1885; but only two were 

 caught in this vicinity. A number were caught about 7 miles south of 

 this station until August 11, when they disappeared entirely. It was 

 quite a large school, but they would not take the hook. 



" Codfish have been caught between the Isle of Shoals and the station 

 all the year, but none were taken within three miles of Plum Island 

 until about March 10, 188G, when small quantities were caught at times. 

 We set traps several times within 2 miles of the shore, and caught 

 nothing, neither could we catch more than a very few on the ledges 

 near the station. One whale was seen on April 17, 188G, blowing about 

 a mile oft' shore, the only one seen from here since last October. Some 

 few codfish and haddock were caught near the shore about April 15." 



Some localities where chicken halibut are found. — Capt. 

 J. W, Collins, writing from Gloucester, Mass., January 7, 1887, refers 

 to a letter from Professor Baird to ]\Ir. W. A. Wilcox, in which it was 

 stated that during October, 188G, there were shipped to Xew York 1,000 

 pounds of halibut that averaged 3 pounds each, which hail been taken 

 largely by vessels fishing on Cashe's, Jefirey's, and New Ledge, on clean 

 sand or rocky bottom. Captain Collins then continues : 



* For a rcmaikfibly persistent attack of a swordfisli npou a vessel, see Fish Com- 

 mission T5n]1otin for 18S0, paj^e 143. 



