REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 37 



of Massachusetts, southern New England, and Long Island, is of 

 special interest in the study of the fauna of Rhode Island, and there- 

 fore notes on the geographical distribution of the different fishes 

 often includes a statement of their occurrence in the waters of neigh- 

 boring States. The notes on the eggs and young of the different spe- 

 cies have been given special attention. All the available literature has 

 been consulted in the attempt to include a brief statement of what- 

 ever facts are known regarding the early stages of the different fishes. 

 Information regarding these exceedingly important but as yet com- 

 paratively little known phases of the life history of the fishes is scat- 

 tered through many special papers, and the bibliography of the various 

 species is not readily accessible. It has therefore been thought im- 

 portant to give all the obtainable references to the description of the 

 eggs and young of those species of which the early stages are known. 



The new material included in this revised paper consists chiefly 

 of, first, observations relating to the time during which the various 

 species are present on our shores; second, observations relating to the 

 occurrence in our waters of the eggs and young of fishes; and third, 

 data which are of interest with reference to the rate of growth of 

 some of our more common species. Data regarding the period of 

 sojourn of the different fishes on our coast can be determined quite 

 readily by following the trap fishery in the summer and the beam- 

 trawl fishing in the winter. This latter method of fishing has recently 

 become extensively practiced in Narragansett Bay during the winter, 

 •and it is now possible to determine more satisfactorily than form- 

 erly the nature and abundance of the species present during the cold- 

 est part of the year. With reference to this subject, the papers 

 •dealing with the fauna of our neighborhood have, probably from 

 necessity, been somewhat vague. There is little doubt that our cold- 

 water fauna is considerably more extensive than one would infer 

 from the statements in the literature on the subject. 



For some years past, the Commission has given a considerable 

 amount of attention to the collection of data relating to the rate of 

 growth of fishes. This work is as yet far from complete, yet in the 



