BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 365 



the very best of running water. I did not kill or lose more than 11 trout 

 in the operation. 



I finished catching for spawning purposes on the 7th of January, 1884. 

 The trout spawned here in Crestine Lake until May. On one spawning 

 bed I took some occasionally all winter, in order to satisfy myself that 

 they were spawning all winter. Those that I caught thus I put back. — 

 S. M. Crawford, Camp Percy, Stark Water, N. H., July 26, 1884. 



Note on sea bass, skates, etc. — Mr. Fred Mather, writing under 

 date of July 29, 1884, says : " I spent last week at Pasque Island, by invita- 

 tion of Mr. James L. Vallottou, of the Pasque Island Club. Six men 

 fished all the week and only took six fish ; the largest one was 17^ 

 pounds. I did not take any. The Cuttyhunk Club is not taking many, 

 neither is the Squibnocket Club, nor are the trap-net fishermen. 



"At low tide we took plenty of sea bass, which are not yet spawning 

 there. 1 obtained four eggs from two skates and they had many yelks 

 yet to cover, showing that they have just begun. The eggs are now at 

 bold Spring Harbor, N". Y." 



A LARGE bass.— L. B. Crooker, collector of internal revenue, Au- 

 rora, 111., reported in 1880: "I saw weighed and measured a small- 

 mouthed black bass caught in Fox Eiver, near this point, the other day. 

 Its weight was 7 pounds C ounces; its length, 23 inches. This is the 

 largest fish of this variety I have ever seen during a lifetime in the 

 West. I believe it to be the largest ever caught in K^orthern Illinois." 



Fish and oysters for New South Wales. — Mr. Cbarles Kahlo, 

 consul at Sydney, New South Wales, reported, under date of August 

 28, 1883, that the annual consumption of dried, salted, and preserved 

 fish is about 5,000,000 pounds annually, about one-half of which is 

 brought from California. The duty on fish is 2 cents per pound. 



The oysters found in this and adjacent colonies are of a very poor 

 quality. If American oysters could be shipped in cans so as to arrive 

 in good condition they would meet with ready sale. [House Mis. Doc. 

 12, Forty-eighth Cong., first session.] 



Export of pearls and pearl-shells from Mexico. — The fol- 

 lowing table has been compiled from report of Warner P. Sutton, con- 

 sul general at Matamoros, November 30, 1883. [House Mis. Doc. 12, 

 Forty- eighth Cong., first session, part 2, p. 233.J 



