REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 113 



not quite, tliree montlis — from June to August. It is tlie poinilar belief 

 that during- a part of this period the starfish bunch up in large clusters, 

 the supposition being that this habit may have some relation to the 

 spawning functions. Both this occurrence and the reasons assigned for 

 it may be true, and it seems very probable that the starfish do some- 

 times collect together in large masses, but this can also be explained, in 

 a measure, as an incident of their feeding. It has been noticed, in 

 connection with the large invasions, that these animals clean the beds up 

 very thoroughly as they go. It can well be imagined that, on reaching 

 a new ground, the first arrivals begin to feed at once, while those in 

 the rear, pressing forward, xnle up over them, forming for the time a 

 sort of windrow, but these conditions would probably not continue long. 

 The rate of movement attained by a body of starfishes when invading 

 an oyster-ground has been variously estimated, but the observations in 

 respect to this matter must, for the most part, be very unreliable. One 

 planter, however, has informed us on good authority that a dense line 

 of starfishes advanced about 2,000 feet over one of his beds in the course 

 of four days, while his steamers were .engaged in dredging them. In • 

 connection with some experiments made by Dr. Hodge, specimens of 

 medium size were seen to move at the rate of 6| to 11^ inches per min- 

 ute, and if this rate were to be maintained without intermission they 

 might cover, on an average, a mile in a little over five days. 



Unfortunately records are seldom kept of the quantity of starfishes 

 removed from any of the beds, but a large planter in the Bridgeport 

 and Stratford districts has furnished a detailed statement which shows 

 that from 1881 to 1881), inclusive, about 30,000 bushels were dredged 

 up by his steamers, the average catch per month, computed for the six 

 years, being as follows: January, IGO; February, 2.50; March, 180; April, 

 90; May, 400; June, 490; July, 020; August, 500; September, 500; 

 October, 480; November, 350; December, 440. It should be borne in 

 mind, however, that these figures relate to only a conqjaratively limited 

 area, and might not apply to other districts. It is also possible that 

 his steamers were less watchful at some times than at others, and that 

 the averages for the catch of starfishes would not indicate with exact- 

 ness their relative abundance during the several months. The priiu-i- 

 pal utility of this statement consists in its showing that starfishes are 

 always present on the oyster-grounds, and may be regarded as plenti- 

 ful in every month of the year, but whether they are always feeding or 

 not still remains to be determined. They are said to begin to feed on 

 oysters when very young, selecting individuals, of course, which are in 

 proportion to their own size, and several have frequently been found 

 attached to the same oyster. They also live on other bivalves, such as 

 mussels and clams, and even on small gastropods, barnacles, etc. 



As to the distribution of the attacks of starfishes, it seems probable 

 that, the conditions being equal, all the beds are subject to their in- 

 H. Mis. 113 8 



