178 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



methods of tbe sea fisheries. A plan for the systematic investigation 

 which seemed yearly more necessary in view of the dissensions between 

 the Governments of the United States and Great Britain. In 1870 a 

 combination was formed with the Superintendent of the Tenth Census, 

 by which the Commissioner was enabled to carry more rapidly forward 

 this branch of the work. Specialists were dispatched to all parts of the 

 country to study the biological, statistical, and practical aspects of the 

 fisheries. In 1878 the breeding of cod and haddock was accomplished 

 at Gloucester. In 1879 the propagation of the oyster was accomplished 

 by co-operation with the Maryland Commission, under the direction of 

 Major Ferguson, and the distribution of the carp throughout the 

 country was begun. 



1880. 



The summer station is at Xewport, R. I. The Fish Hawk, a steamer 

 of 481 tons, constructed expressly for the work of the commission, lies 

 at the wharf, now equipped for scientific research, later to be employed 

 in the propagation of the sea fish, such as the cod and the mackerel. 

 Over fift3 T investigations are in the field in the service of the commission. 

 The season was opened by the participation of the commission in the 

 International Exhibition at Berlin. The first-honor prize, the gift of 

 the Emperor of Germany, was awarded to Professor Baird, not alone as 

 an acknowledgement that the display of the United States was the most 

 perfect and most imposing, but as a personal tribute to one who, in the 

 words of the president of the Deutscher Fischerie Yerein, is regarded 

 in Europe as the first fish-culturlist in the world. 



SCARCITY OF BLAi'KFISH I > THE MM III. 



By CIIAREE§ C. LESLIE. 



[Note. — In view of the immense and unusual abundance of the sea bass or black- 

 nsb, Serranus atrarius, on the coast of Southern New England, tbe following note from 

 Mr. C. C. Leslie to G. Brown Goode possesses much interest:] 



We have noticed for the past four or five years the scarcity of black- 

 fish in the summer, and especially this summer. The smacks here have 

 not made their expenses for the past two months. I have just seen 

 Capt. S. M. Corker, one of our most expert blaekfish fishermen, who 

 has been in the business for thirty years. He states that he has never 

 seen them so scarce as they are, and that in former years they could 

 catch enough to pay expenses during the summer. Captain Corker told 

 me also, about the first of June, a vessel came into this port; her cap- 

 tain reported that he sailed through acres of codfishes floating belly 

 up between Eatteras and Cape Henry. The fishes were not dead, but 

 very weak. 



Charleston, S. C, June 29, 1882. 



