BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 251 



Summary. — During the past week there have been sixty-three arrivals 

 from George's Bank, with small fares, averaging 13,000 pounds of salt 

 cod and 400 pounds of halibut to a vessel; five arrivals with fresh 

 halibut, averaging 40,000 pounds to a vessel ; twelve arrivals Avith pol- 

 lock, aggregating 455,000 pounds ; and nine arrivals with salt mackerel, 

 landing 1,374 barrels. Seven arrivals from the shore fisheries landed 

 140,000 pounds of mixed fish. The pollock were caught with seine from 

 3 to 4 miles off Chatham. The first mackerel that were caught last year 

 this side of Cape Cod was on May IS. On May 14 of this year 20 barrels 

 of large mackerel were caught with seine. 



Herring and Salmon.— There have beeu 70 bairels of herring 

 caught in traps, aud 1 salmon, weighing 12f i^ounds, cauglit in a trap 

 at Kettle Island. 



Gloucester, Mass., May 18, 1884. 



Black Grouper. — I will send you Monday morning for identifica- 

 tion a strange fish,* said to measure o feet in length, but actually meas- 

 uring over 6 feet. The fish when seen was on its side, with its side fin 

 at the surface of the water, and was thought to be a sunfish. It was 

 easily captured. Xo one of the hundreds of persons who have been 

 here to see the fish have been able to identify its genus and species. I 

 hope to hear from you concerning its identity. 



Gloucester, Mass., 21ay 18, 1884. 



The strange fish was caught 20 miles southeast from Block Island. 

 The fish when seen was on its side with side-fin and tail in motion. 

 When seen the men thought it was a sunfish ; they rowed up to it in a 

 dory, threw a harpoon into it, and towed it alongside the vessel, where 

 it was taken on board and put in the ice-house. The fisli was cauglit 

 Thursday, May 15, schooner Carrie E. Parsons, Capt. Albert Greenlow. 

 There is no expense on the fish except the box. The Atlantic Halibut 

 Company gave me the ice. 



The captain asked me if I could get him the history- of the mackerel 

 fishery and one of the last bulletins. If you will send them to me I will 

 forward them to Captain Greenlow when the vessel is in. I am glad 

 the fish was in good order when it arrived in Washington. 



Gloucester, Mass., May 25, 1884. 



Summary. — During the past week there have been thirty-nine ar- 

 rivals from George's Banks, landing an aggregate of 980,000 pounds of 

 codfish ; thirteen arrivals from the Banks, aggregating 220,000 pounds 

 of fresh halibut, and 980 barrels of salt mackerel landed by ten vessels. 

 There have also been landed during the past week 70,000 pounds of 

 haddock, 75,000 pounds of shore fish, and 198,000 pounds of pollock. 



* Identified by Dr. T. H. Besm as Spin ephel us nigritns. Weighing 300 pounds. (See 

 his statement, page 240.) 



