96 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



amined in the uortli by the naturalists of the Fish Commifesiou, between 

 the mouths of June and November, and in the south in March and 

 April, without in a single instance discovering matured spawn, so it may 

 be regarded as a demonstrated fact that the species does not breed upon 

 the coast of New England and New York. A large number dissected 

 by me at Noank, Conn., in July and August, 1874, had the ovaries and 

 spermaries partially developed, but still far from maturity, and it seemed 

 probable that three or four months would pass before spawning time. 

 Others examined at Pine Island, Groton, Conn., October 30, 1877, 

 had the ova more mature, but at least six weeks or two months from 

 jierfection, as nearly as I could estimate. The fish then examined were 

 taken in the last runs of the fall, and were supposed to be the Maine 

 schools on their southward migration. 



Dissections of Maine fisli. 



127. Boardman and others state that in the last week in September 

 fish taken in Boothbay had spawn and milt so slightly developed that 

 only persons accustomed to the examination of such subiecfs could dis- 

 tinguish the sexes.* • 



The number of eggs in rmmatiire ovaries. 



128. Hon. S. L. Goodale took the ovaries from a large number of men- 

 haden at Boothbay, September 14, 187G, three to five days before their 

 autumnal departure from the coast. Twelve hundred fishes were ex- 

 amined, and only three were found to contain ovaries which approached 



* The following letter by Mr. Atkins was received wliile this report was being 



printed : 



" BucKSPORT, Maine, June 4, 1878. 



" Dear Sir : I have discovered something about menhaden wiiich is new to rae. 



"A sbort time ago a fisherman sent me a menhaden caught in Verona, an adjoining 

 town to Bucksport, which turned out to be a male adult, with well developed sperma- 

 ries, weighing ^o ounce, the whole fish weighing 11^ ounces; 10 inches long. To-day 

 I have another specimen, also taken in Verona, which turns out to be a female, 11 

 inches long, with fully developed ovaries, which I have not yet weighed, but which 

 contain eggs a little more than half a millimeter in diameter. I should think they 

 would count out 200,000 or more. 



" Another Verona fisherman, Mr. Dudley Abbott, says that last year he slivered a lot 

 of menhaden, and should judge that one-third or one-half of them contained spawn; 

 previous to last year he had seen menhaden with spawn occasionally, but not often he 

 thought ; continued to find some such till August last year. 



" Mr. Haiiisou Heath, who sent me the female before me, told me yesterday that he 

 had observed these 'pogies' with spawn for three years past, but did not recollect 

 seeing them before; thought they were pleutiest last year. 



"You will recollect that I stated to you some months ago that the smelt fishermen 

 reported that last fall they caught considerable numbers of young menhaden of various 

 sizes — small at first and a good deal larger the first of winter— and that it was quite 

 uncommon for so many of them to bo taken. 



" If these facts are sufficiently interesting, I will endeavor to follow the matter up. 

 " Very truly, yours, 



"C. G. ATKINS." 



