INLAND FISHERIES. 



SCUP. 



These fish were not plenty in the spring, and the weather was not 

 favorable to a large catch. The catch in the traps commenced on 27th 

 of April and continued to the 23rd of May. The total catch at Cog- 

 geshall's Point was 7,500 barrels ; all others about 1,600 barrels ; total, 

 9,100 barrels. 



The large scup were very scattering in the bay, but from the first of 

 May small scup appeared in immense numbers, but very small, it tak- 

 ing twenty to weigh one pound. They came into all parts of the bay 

 and were caught everywhere during the summer. 



In the early fall they were still plenty and six of them would weigh 

 one pound, showing the season's growth. 



On the 4th of May codfish were very abundant. From one of them 

 twenty-seven scup were taken. 



The run of fish this season was about two weeks earlier than last. 



Captain N. B. Church, to whom we are indebted for much valuable 

 information and who has kindly allowed us the use of his journal, 

 records that ''The number of codfish caught in traps was unprece- 

 dented ; sometimes a ton were taken at one haul. That he saw more 

 squeteague, blue-fish and sea-bass than ever before in all his experience. 

 The blue-fish were observed the whole length of the coast, from Barne- 

 gatt, N. J., to Seguin Island, Maine. 



" The squeteague were plenty in Seaconnet River for about six 

 weeks, beginning to run, I think, about the middle of June. They 

 were so plenty that the people made but little exertion of catching 

 them, as they would not bring enough in the market to more than pay 

 the shipping bills. The same is true with the blue-fish. 



" That the blue-fish ruined the menhaden fishing in this section." 



The following table shows the amount of fish and lobsters sent by 

 way of Old Colony Steamboat and Railroad Lines from Newport, for 

 each month in the year 1890 : 



