BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 143 



lu ii later letter, dated May 22, 18SG, Mr. Uabersbain adds : " The 

 roeklisli breed at least as far north as Canada, as in the Province oi' 

 Sew Brnuswick they abonnd on the North Shore from Shediae to Dal- 

 housie, and are found in the liestigouche, Saint John, and Mirainichi 

 Kivers, where I knew them over thirty years ago. The :^oung rock, 

 from 4 to G inches long, are there taken in the smelt bag-nets, which 

 taking is hastening their extermination. They spawn there in the 

 rivers about the last of May, and run to sea after spawning, returning 

 about September 1, and remaining in fresh water until after spawning 

 agaiu the following spring. They visit the harbor of Bathurst, ou an 

 arm of the Bay of Chaleurs, apparently in pursuit of the sand lauuce, 

 stopping only a few weeks, but not spawning there, as they prefer slug- 

 gish water. In addition to my own knowledge of the subject, what I 

 have said about rockfisli in Canada is confirmed by Mr. William H. Ven- 

 ning, inspector of fisheries in New Brunswick." 



Bill to peotect the freedom of commercial intercourse.* — 

 Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled., That whenever the President 

 shall be satisfied that American vessels are denied the i)rivilege of 

 l)urchasing sujiplies or bait, or any other commercial privilege, in any 

 port or ports of anj' foreign country, he may, by proclamation, prohibit 

 the vessels of such countrj' , or of any designated district, port, colony, 

 or dependency thereof, or any class of such vessels, from entering 

 American ports, or from exercising such commercial privileges therein as 

 he may in such proclamation define, for such period as he may prescribe; 

 and on and after the date named in such x>roclamation for it to take 

 effect, if the master, officer, or agent of any such vessel of such foreign 

 country excluded by said proclamation from the exercise of any com- 

 mercial i^rivileges shall do any act i)rohibited by said proclamation, in 

 the ports, harbors, or waters of the United States, for or ou account of 

 such vessel, such vessel and its rigging, tackle, furniture, and boats, 

 and all the goods on board, shall be liable to seizure and to forfeiture 

 to the United States; and any person opposing any oflicer of the 

 United States in the enforcement of this act, or aiding and abetting 

 Siwy other person in such opposition, shall forfeit eight hundred dollars, 

 and shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, npon conviction, shall be 

 liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. 



A vessel STRUCK FOUR TIMES BY A SWORDFISH. — Mr. W. A. Wil- 



cox, writing from Gloucester, Mass., on August 7, 1880, says: 



"The schooner Volunteer, of Gloucester, arrived on August 3 from a 

 mackerel trip of several weeks in the neighborhood of Block Island. 

 Capt. Eobert Smith reports that on June 15 he was 2 miles west of 

 Block Island at 4 p. m., when the vessel received a severe shock, much 



* This bill (H. R. 9210) was iotioduced in the House of Represoutatives by Mr. R. 

 T. Davis, of Massachusetts, ou Juue 7, I8b6, aud referred to the Committee ou Com- 

 merce. It was reported back July 17, aud ordered to bo iiriuted. 



