HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 3 



some of the general ichtliyolo<;ical treatises. Miteliill, Storer, and Dekay 

 had given imperfect figures. Allusions were made to its economical 

 value by some of the books mentioned, and in agricultural and statis- 

 tical works occasional reference had been made to its importance as a 

 manure. Up to the present day the reports of the Commissioner of 

 Agriculture have barely referred to the existence of this source of fer- 

 tilizing material. Many persons engaged in fishing or manufacturing 

 had a comprehensive knowledge of some parts of its history, but these 

 had never been written or printed. There was no adequate account of 

 this fish accessible to the student. Recognizing the necessity of supply- 

 ing this need, the Commissioner of Fisheries chose this species as the 

 next to be studied. 



2. — Means used to gather information. 



4. A circular was issued, December 20, 1873, requesting information 

 upon many points in the history of the menhaden, and propounding 

 fifty-eight questions for the guidance of thoso disposed to aid in the 

 investigation.* This was distributed to manufacturers, fishermen, and 

 all known to be interested iu the fisheries. Through the courtesy of the 

 Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Light-House Board 

 it was also sent to all collectors of customs and light-house keepers on the 

 Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. A second edition of this circular was 

 issued in 1874. 



5. Personal letters have been addressed to nearly all the intelligent 

 respondents to the circular, and to many others, asking information 

 upon uncertain points. 



6. The attention of the marine branch of the Fish Commission has 

 for four seasons been especially directed to the menhaden, especially with 

 a view to learning about its food and its habits of spawning. 



3. — Sources of information. 



7. At the beginning of this work Professor Baird gave me five or six 

 pages of closely- written manuscript containing his own observations 

 made during five or six summers on the coast of New England. These 

 have been of the greatest importance, and my own work has been little 

 more than that of expanding and carrying out the suggestions there 

 made. I have also made use of notes made by Professors Smith and 

 Verrill, and by Mr. Vinal I^. Edwards, and the testimony taken by Pro- 

 fessor Baird, in 1872. 



' Personal observations and aid of individuals. 



8. While with the Commission at Eastport, Me., in 1872 ; Portland, Me., 

 in 1873; at Noank, Conn., in 1874; at Wood's Holl, Mass., in 1875; and 

 at Salem, Mass., and Halifax, Is ova Scotia, in 1877, I used every oppor- 

 tunity to study this fish. I have also had opportunities of observing it 

 at the mouth of the Saint John's Eiver, Florida; iu the Potomac, at sev- 



* This circular is reproduced in Appendix A. 



