304 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



allowed to drift after the liver has been cut out. The liver is cut to 

 pieces iu the water; and the pieces are taken up with a dipper and 

 placed in a barrel with a perforated bottom, so that the water and blood 

 can flow off. The livers are then packed in boxes or placed loose in a 

 compartment of the hold. 



On the west coast of Iceland a shark vessel has generally a crew of 

 8 men, beside the captain. The crew of the Ofiord vessels generally 

 numbers 10 or 12 men. Three or four hooks are used at the same time, 

 bat when the fish bite well fewer hooks are used. 



On the coast of Nordland the fishermen share the profits, while in 

 Vestland the fishermen hire themselves out to owners of vessels. The 

 captain of the vessel then gets $4.28 per week, the mate $3.21, and the 

 sailors (or fishermen) from $2.14 to $2.68 each. A premium, moreover, 

 is paid for every barrel of liver, namely, 53 cents to the captain, 20 

 cents to the mate, and about 13 or 14 cents to each fisherman. When 

 the fisheries are conducted on the share system the liver is (for 9 men) 

 divided into eighteen parts. The owner of the vessel gets one-half, but 

 he pays extra for one part for the captain, who therefore gets two parts. 

 Frequently, however, different arrangements are made among the per- 

 sons engaged and having a share in the fisheries. 



The crew receive the following rations per week for each man : Six 

 pounds bread, 2 pounds butter, 3 pounds meat, £ pound coffee, and £ 

 pound rock candy. For each trip (lasting about one month) each vessel 

 is furnished with 20 quarts of brandy, a half-barrel of peas or rice, a 

 proportionate quantity of sugar or molasses, and 2 barrels of coal. 



After the close of the shark fisheries the vessels are either laid up 

 or employed in other fisheries. In the Ofiord there is an insurance com- 

 pany for these vessels, which has done a great deal of good. 



JW.-AItlllVIJA.XCK OF FISH IIV THE «JI 1,1 OF MKXICO, 



By Ii, II. SELLARS. 



[Letter to Prof. S. F. Baird.] 



In 1881 the fish came on this coast in such numbers that the Pensa- 

 cola Ice Company bought a steamer with intent to purse-seine them. 

 From that time till now there have but few fish come north of Cape 

 San Bias. This year there is a glut, and it seems that the Atlantic 

 mark ets are full also. Lake fish are shipped to points contiguous to here. 

 Even the deep-sea fish, such as snappers and groupers, are more abun- 

 dant, and bite at the hook more freely. 



Now, is there any meteorological phenomenon upon which to base this 

 superabundance of fish? We have been noticing the catching of fish 

 many years, but can see no reasons for this irregular periodical rush of 

 fish from their hiding-places to the coast. 



Pensacola, Fla., May 4, 1885. 



