216 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



summer, the time when those raised for market will be ready for the 

 table. 



If further observation shows that this rate of stocking ponds is the 

 correct one, as I think it will, it is not difficult for the carp culturists 

 to calculate what returns he may reasonably expect from each acre of 

 his market ponds. Five hundred fish, each weighing 4£ pounds, al- 

 lowing a little over 10 per cent for loss, will make him 2,000 pounds to 

 the acre. The price he will receive for them will depend upon their 

 quality, in connection with his skill in marketing them ; and their quality 

 will depend much upon the manner in which they are prepared for 

 market. 



Bordentown, N. J., January 28, 1885. 



53 TIME OF APPROACH OF FISH TO THE NEW EIVGEAND COAST. 



By W. E. CiOUED. 



The following is a statement of the several kinds of fish coming on 

 our coast (the southeastern part of Massachusetts). The first fish that 

 visit our coast are the alewife herring, which usually appear about the 

 15th of April. The present year the fish were seen on the 20th of that 

 month. The alewife herring never school or appear on top of the. water 

 in large numbers in this vicinity, although large numbers of them are 

 takeu annually. 



The next that come are the shad, which vary but little from the 

 middle of April. The first caught the present season was on the 23d of 

 the month. These, like the alewives, never school or seem to come to 

 the surface of the water, but are caught during the month of May in 

 considerable numbers. 



The herring come about the 10th of May. This year the first caught 

 here was on the 11th of the month. These are always seen in large 

 numbers schooling at the surface of the water, and are seldom caught 

 unless they are so seen. The first schools seen the present year were 

 on the 11th of May. 



The first mackerel put in an appearance on May 2, and the first 

 schools on May 22. 



The first bluefish came on the 27th of May, but no school until June 

 16, and these very small. 



The first menhaden were caught on May 14, but no schools were seen 

 during the season, although these fish were at a former time very nu- 

 merous on this coast during the month of May. None have been seen 

 schooling in largo schools since the spring of 1875. Before that time 

 they were probably the most numerous fish that passed along this 

 coast. 



United States Life Saving Station, 



Chatham, Mass., June 20, 1885. 



