COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 47 



fish were commencing to be caught in considerable numbers, and, as 

 is usually the case with the first specimens caught, these were quite 

 large. There was no great run of squiteague, the most abundant 

 period was between June 20th and the first half of July. 



Striped Bass. — The first catch of these fish consisted of five large 

 specimens on April 20th, near Price 's Neck. By April 22d the daily 

 catches had increased to over a barrel. On May 11th striped bass 

 were reported at Coddington Cove. 



Other Fish. — April 20th a lumpfish was caught, and on the next 

 day several were caught. 



A large shad, the first of the season, was caught April 21st. 



During the latter half of April herring were very abundant off 

 Newport. This was especially noticeable on the twenty-fifth, when 

 the fishermen reported the waters " thick" with them. 



Tautog, or black fish, began to run in the traps about April 21st. 

 Near the twenty-sixth of this month they began to take the hook at 

 Castle Hill Cove. These first ones were large, but they soon left, 

 only the smaller ones remaining. On May 4th tautog were reported 

 well up the bay. 



The first king fish of the season was caught on May 4th off shore. 

 On May 11th several were caught in Coddington Cove. 



Sea robins appeared in the traps April 21st, and soon after were 

 quite plentiful. The attempt to sell these fish in New York was very 

 successful and good prices were obtained. Heretofore the principal 

 use of these fish has been for bait. As an indication of their occa- 

 sional abundance in the traps this season, a single sale of 25 barrels 

 was made by a certain trapper. 



June 20th, 6 sword fish, the first of the season, were brought in. 



June 22d, the first bonito was caught. 



July 16th, the first catch of horse mackerel. 



June 20th a boat which had been fishing in sixty fathoms of water, 

 130 miles south of Block Island, came in with 160 pounds of tile fish. 

 The largest were only 35 pounds; rather small for this fish. 



