432 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



siderable there have been large drains upon it for apparatus for experi- 

 ments, some of which have not led to satisfactory results. The fishery 

 was commenced with two steamers, but it was found upon trial that the 

 nets could be better monaged by the use of one steamer and several 

 small-boats. The tug-boat now employed is of fair size, but is consid- 

 ered to have too much wood-work above deck, which prevents the nets 

 being properly stowed. The tug is accompanied by two yawls and a 

 surf-boat. The crew consists of about twelve men. Two kinds of nets 

 have been experimented with, one having wiugs and a very long, nar- 

 row pot (thus somewhat resembling in form a fyke-net), the other beiug 

 a simple net of stout twine with large meshes. The latter net is the one 

 at present in use. With it is employed another net having tine meshes. 



The method of the fishery is a simple one, aud consists merely in 

 l^atrolling the shore with tbe steamer and surrounding by means of the 

 nets any school which is met with near land. The coarse-meshed net is 

 X)aid out around the school somewhat in the manner adopted in the 

 menliaden fishery, and the fine-meshed net is then run around inside 

 the first. The use of this second net is to entangle and drown the por- 

 poises as well as to prevent their breaking through the coarser net. 

 The ends of both nets are brought to land, and the hauling-iu is done 

 from the beach. 



In the haul which I witnessed a school of about twenty-five porpoises 

 was surrounded, but unfortunately three of them, in their efibrts to es- 

 cape, rolled up the nets at the bottom and allowed the rest to escape. 

 The bottle-nose dolphin does not attempt to jump over the net as the 

 " puffing pig" (Phoccena communis) does, but seeks to escape by diving 

 beneath or breaking through it. The company has thus far captured 

 over two hundred specimens. 



The products obtained are oil, hides, meat, and fertilizer. All por- 

 tions of the body are utilized. I was informed that the blubber seemed 

 to be growing thicker at this season. The hide and blubber are re- 

 moved together. The skin is then laid on an inclined currier's board 

 and the blubber shaved off and dropped into a tub below. The oil is 

 extracted by heating the blubber in large boilers. Experiments have 

 also been made in cold -pressing. The dressed hides are sent to Newark, 

 iN". J., to be tanned, and the flesh finds a market in Philadelphia. The 

 bones and other refuse go to form a fertilizer. 



The energy with which the fishery is prosecuted merits success. 

 There are many difficulties presented by a new enterjjrize of this char- 

 acter, which are not encountered in long-established industries. 



There is a crude porpoise fishery at Hatteras which has been in exist- 

 ence many years. It is my intention to visit the locality during the 

 coming fall, for I suspect that the species of porpoise captured is en- 

 tirely distinct from that taken at Cape May. 



U. S. National Museum, August 25, 1884. 



