BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 169 



port and North Truro, is lined with sixteen weirs put down the past 

 month, $80,000 being invested. They are of value in supph iug the fish- 

 ing fleets with plenty of fresh bait. 



The outlook. — Prospects for the season now indicate another year 

 of large production. Although the migratory fish have been late in ar- 

 riving tbev seem to have come in unusual abundance. Tlie catch of ale- 

 wives in the Susquehanna and Potomac has been the largest for years. 

 Very little preparation is made for the cure of these fish caught iu that 

 section; in cousequence the price dropped from the customary one of 

 25 to 50 cents a hundred fish to the same price per thousand; during 

 the last week in April even lower prices were taken. 



The whale-fishery. — Whale fishing off the New England coast by 

 small steamers is getting to be quite a business. During the past two 

 mouths four steamers have been engaged in this work, viz, Fannie. 

 Sprague, Mabel Bird, Hurricane, and Josephine. 



They cruise off the Maine and Massachusetts shores as far south as 

 Cape Cod. A bomb lance, fired from a gun held at the shoulder, is used 

 for killing the whales. Up to date about 40 whales have been captured. 



As the men become expert in the manner of capture, the whales be- 

 come shy and keep more in deep water. After being killed they usually 

 sink, and it is doubtful if the business, as at present conducted, will last 

 if the whales arc driven off from near shore, it being difficult to re- 

 cover them in over 40 fathoms of water. 



The whales captured the past few weeks average GO feet long and weigh 

 about 25 tons each; they yield about 20 barrels of oil, 2 barrels of 

 meat, 5 tons of dry chum, and 2 tons of bone, about $400 being real- 

 ized from each whale, on the average. 



The seal-fishery. — During the past month the steamers from pro- 

 vincial ports engaged in the seal-fishery have beeu returning home, 

 having had one of the most successful seasons ever made in that busi- 

 ness. Full returns will be given later. 



The following from the Island Fress is of interest: 



u The seal-fishery has been unusually successful this year. Many 

 steamers have returned from the sealing grounds loaded down almost 

 to the water's edge. Steamer Ranger, with over 200 men on board, re- 

 turned to St. John's with 35,G00 prime young harp seals, the largest catch 

 for her tonnage ever taken into any port in the world, every nook and 

 corner of the ship being jammed full. She was compelled to steam slowly 

 from the time of leaving the ice, to prevent upsetting, and had to creep 

 home inch by inch. Fortunately the sea was calm all the way. Her 

 deck, covered to the top of the rails with 7,100 seals, was a sight never 

 before seen in St. John's. The compauion-way was covered in, only 

 room enough being left for a man to squeeze himself into the door- way. 

 The lazaret contained 720, and 250 were stowed under the bunks in 

 which the men slept. Eight puncheons were filled with oil, and the 

 rest was stowed in the hold." 



