COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 51 



date 294 barrels were brought in. These fish were quite large and 

 many weighed four pounds or more, and only fifty-five to sixty were 

 required to fill a barrel. The catches of mackerel then increased 

 steadily, June 14th marking the commencement of some very heavy 

 catches. On July 1st the mackerel fishing at Newport was extra- 

 ordinary; 270 barrels were caught in four single hauls, and yet many 

 fish were lost because the nets broke with the weight of the fish. The 

 mackerel fishing continued good for a number of weeks. 



The first "tinkers" arrived on June 10th. 



Squitcague. — Two squiteague were caught the 21st of May, and 

 from this date no more were caught until June 18th. On this date 

 quite a number were caught, and June 24th the "run" began with a 

 catch of 250 barrels. The largest catch of the season, was on June 

 27th, when the Fisheries Company caught 300 barrels in one haul. 

 The run of squiteague continued good for some time. 



Butter-Fish. — The first catch of these fish was on May 10th, when 

 two were caught. No more were seen until May 24th. On this date 

 50 barrels were caught in one haul. 



Other Fish. — Three striped bass were caught May 2nd, and on May 

 13th they were more plentiful than scup, and twelve were caught in 

 one trap. 



The first sea bass was caught May 8th. 



Sea robins appeared May 9th. 



Squid appeared May 10th. 



May 8th a salmon weighing 22 pounds was caught by Captain 

 Petty at Sakonnet Point. Nearly every summer one or two small 

 salmon are caught which weigh from two to three pounds, but it is 

 said that none as large as this one has been caught in forty years. 



season of 1908. 



Scup. — The first scup was reported by Guy Avalone from Cod- 

 dington Cove, on April 23rd. Later in the day two more were 

 caught off CoggeshalPs Ledge. April 27th the catch was reported 

 by the barrel, and on the 29th the " run " began. June 3rd the catches 

 commenced to decrease, and by June 9th the shipping was mostly 

 from the pounds. Scup were very abundant this year, especially 

 in the Bay, where more scup were caught than for many years. 



