126 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



finally leave the last of October. In 1900 the first arrival was April 21, 

 reaching Cuttyhunk Apiil 26, Woods Hole on May 1st. In 1901, the 

 first arrival was April 26. The dates of the arrival of the scup in the 

 Taunton River, from 1871 to 1883 range from May 27 in 1880 to June 1 

 in 1882. The earliest recorded appearance in Rhode Island is prob- 

 ably April 15, 1871. The greatest abundance of that year in Newport 

 was on the 15th of May. 



In 1905, Capt. Church, of Tiverton, caught a single scup on May 1st at 

 Newport. On May 11th the sea fowl appeared outside Newport 

 Harbor, the usual sign of the approach of the schools. First good 

 catch was made on May 16th, small catches were made until June 4th, 

 when for a few days the largest hauls of the season were made. The 

 season ended June 25th in Narragansett Bay, while at Block Island it 

 lasted until June 27. The season that year was poorer than usual, due, 

 perhaps, to the fact that on May 16 and a few days following, there 

 was an exceptionally large run of pollock along the whole shore from 

 Brenton's Reef to Sakonnet Point. 



In 1906 the first scup recorded from Rhode Island was taken oflf Cogges- 

 hall's Ledge, April 20. The main run off Newport lasted from May 1 

 to about June 15. Scup were taken in greatest abundance from 

 May 5 to June 4. A run of pollock which lasted from the middle of 

 May until about the 21st of that month greatly interfered with the 

 abundance of scup. 



In 1907 scup did not appear at Ne'w-port until May 2. Scattering speci- 

 mens were taken until May 10, after which the number rapidly in- 

 creased. The big run arrived about May 14 and remained until 

 June 24. 



In 1908 a scup was taken in Coddington Cove on April 23 and two off 

 Coggeshall Ledge on the same day. The reported number of scup 

 rapidly increased after that date until April 29, when the main run at 

 Newport began. June 3 the catches began to decrease, and by June 

 9, only scattering individuals were being taken. Scup were very 

 abundant this year, especially in Narragansett Bay, where more scup 

 were caught than for many years. 



In 1909 several scup were caught off Watch Hilf April 19. The main 

 body were present from about May 1 to June 14. 



