16 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



made the fish abundant in the "eastern passage" rather than in the 

 "western passage" as is usual, would mean many thousands of dol- 

 lars to the fishermen. 



It is with this general point of view that the northern countries of 

 Europe have combined their forces and have instituted a thorough 

 systematic survey of all the fishing waters from the English Channel 

 to the Baltic, going over all the territory at regular intervals and 

 systematically recording all obtainable conditions, physical and 

 biological. 



The death of great ciuantities of menhaden earl}' in June, in the 

 upper portion of the Bay, occasioned considerable concern in the 

 public mind as well as among the fishermen. At Pawtuxet and in 

 various other places the dead fish upon the shore were so numerous 

 that it became necessary to remove them by cartloads. Throughout 

 the whole Bay, l^ut more particularly in the head waters, the dying 

 fish were to be seen at the surface swimming in circles on their sides 

 or backs, leaping out of the water, and acting in all respects as though 

 they were " crazy." The blood vessels were often seen to be congested 

 in the region of the gills, eyes, brain, and head generally. On micro- 

 scopical examination, the blood showed a great quantity of bacteria 

 which were taken to be the cause of the disease. Cultures were made 

 of these bacteria by Dr. C. A. Fuller and Mr. H. L. Madison, and 

 many inoculations were made in apparently healthy fish. Many 

 of the latter died, but usually without going through the mad stage 

 characteristic of the disease. The death is apparently due to a bac- 

 terial disease. It is not difficult to imagine how the fish may contract 

 it in our much polluted head waters, for they gather their food by 

 straining the water through the gill rakers. But it is not so easy to 

 see how the fish in the lower part of the Bay, where the water is pure, 

 could contract the disease. Captain Rolhn Mason, of Wickford, an 

 experienced menhaden fisherman, has given us some information 

 which throws light upon this difficulty. i\Ir. ^lason says, and this 

 has often been observed, that the menhaden die in this way in the 

 head waters of nearly every estuary which is polluted by the wastes 



