CHRONOLOGICAL CATALOGUE. 135 

 1873. Baird, Spencer F.— Coutiuued. 



General results of the investigation p. xvii 



Eecapitulation of objects of the inquiry xvii 



Decrease of food-fishes xviii 



Substantiated by testimony xviii 



Establislied by the investigation xviii 



Supply of fish in the sea not inexhaustible xix 



Injurious effects of the decrease xx 



Causes of the decrease, alleged or actual xx 



1. Disappearance of the food of fishes xxi 



2. Change in the locality of the fishes themselves xxi 



3. Disease and atmospheric agencies xxii 



4. Kavages of predacious fishes xxii 



5. Human agencies xxiii 



Polution of water xxiii 



Over-fishing xxiv 



By fixed apparatus xxiv 



Location of such apparatus in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. xxv 



By nets and lines xxxi 



6. Combination of human and other agencies, especially blue-fish: 



Extent of agency of blue-fish xxxii 



Their diminution not desirable xxxii 



Their abundance dependent on that of other fish xxxii 



Measures suggested for relief xxxiii 



Kegulation of use of fixed nets xxxiii 



Action by the States xxxiv 



Bill proposed for the purpose xxxiv 



Arguments in its favor xxxiv 



Absolute prohibition by the United States, the alternative of want of 



action by the States xxxiv 



Anticipation of improvement xxxv 



Sesultof inquiries in 1872 xxxvi 



General summary of results xxxviii 



Conclusion xl 



I. Keport of the Commissioner vii 



Table of contents xliii 



n. General plan of inquiries prosecuted 1 



Memoranda of inquiries relative to the food-fishes of United States 1 



Questions relative to the food-fishes of the United States 3 



m. Testimony in regard to the present condition of the fisheries, taken in 



1871, Newport, Rhode Island 7 



Naushon Island, Massachusetts 32 



Pasque Island, Massachusetts 34 



Menemsha Bight, Martha's V^ineyard 35 



Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard 37 



Nantucket, Massachusetts 41 



Hyannis, Massachusetts 47 



"Wood's Hole, Massachusetts 63 



Head of Buzzard's Bay 70 



Cohasset Narrows ;.. 72 



IV. Special argument in regard to regulating the sea-fisheries by law 72 



Samuel Powell, delivered in the Rhode Island legislature (urging the ne- 

 cessity of a scientific inquiry into the subject) 73 



J. M. K. Southwick, of Newport (against protective legislation) 76 



George H. Palmer, of New Bedford (in favor of protective legislation) 88 



V. Reports of State commissions in regard to regulating the sea-fisheries by 



law 104 



Report of committee of Rhode Island legislature, made at Newport, 



June 15, 1870 104 



Legislative enactment recommended 110 



Extract from report for 1871 of Theodore Lyman, Massachusetts com- 

 missioner of inland fisheries, on the possible exhaustion of sea- 

 fisheries 112 



Remarks of Mr. Atwood, of the cape district, before the Massachu- 

 setts senate, in relation to the petition to prohibit net and seine 



fisheries 117 



