424 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STAGES FISH COMMISSION. 



ingon taking it on the fisbiug-groiiDtls, in which they were successful. 

 During the last few days of the month (weirs and traps being up), for 

 the first time during the season, fresh-fish bait was scarce, but clams 

 were substituted and not much inconvenience was exj^erienced. 



Codfish have been unusually abundant on Western Bank during ii 

 large part of the season. Schooner Susie Hooper, of Gloucester, one 

 of the last arrivals from there, reached her home port on December 14, 

 having been absent only five weeks, bringing in 105,043 i^ounds of 

 split cod. The fish were all taken with hand-lines from the vessel. 

 This is reported as one of the largest fares of haud-line-caught salt cod 

 ever landed at Gloucester. 



Herring were scarce in the Bay of Fundy uj) to the very last of the 

 month, when an improved catch was reported. 



Halibut receipts at Goucester vary but little from those of Decem- 

 ber, 1885, the catch being mostly from the Grand Bank. 



December brings to a close a year that opened with storms and dis- 

 asters, followed by many other dangers and much excitement, low 

 I)riccs and light receipts, the smallest catch of mackerel for over forty 

 year§!, and with few exceptions, an unprofitable year's work. 



Fish landed at Gloucester, Mass., iij the fislting -fleet in Becemher, 1886. 



Miscellaneous receipts of dried, smolced, and pickled fl.sh at Gloucester, Mass., in December, 



18SG. 



Gloucester, Mass., Becembcr 31, 188G. 



