46 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



77. Table sltoiviiir/ dai/s of first appearance in abundance of menhaden, aleivivcs, scup, and 

 bhiefish, at TVaquoit iveir, since 1859. 



Irregularities of movements sJiotcn hy returns of Waquoit iceir. . 



78. The returns of Waquoit weir, wbicli was rented in 1871, by the 

 Massachusetts commissioners of inland fisberies, for the purpose of get- 

 ting exact statistics on the subject of pound-fisliing, show bow uncertain 

 and irregular are the movements of tbe menbaden and tbeir capture in 

 any fixed locality upon tbe sbore. April 21, 1871, G,000 were taken ; 

 April 23, 13,300; May 1, 17,420; May 5, 35,920; May 9, 10,020; May 

 10, 16,800; May 11, 14,945; May 13, 14,200; May 15, 7,300; May 16, 

 900 ; May 18, 1,280; May 19, 1,040 ; May 20, 7,C00 ; May 22, 6,C00; May 

 23, 26,000; May 24, 2,205; May 25, 780; May 31, 40,300; June 1, 

 13,260; June 10, 7,540; June 14, 27,300; June 16, 93; June 17, 19. 

 In 1865, from April 21 to May 15, were taken 175,300, and from May 16 

 to June 2, 35,800; in 1866, between tbese dates, respectively, 213,730 

 and 104,780 ; in 1867, 82,680 and 121,060 ; in 1868, 45,706 and 79,020 ; 

 in 1869, 66,680 and 79,030; in 1870, 152,590 and 255,340; in 1871, 

 136,005 and 99,256.* 



South shore of Ca])e Cod. 



79. At Hyannis, Mass., writes Mr. A. F. Latbrop, tbcy appear in May 

 in small numbers, tbe greatest season of plenty occurring in June. 

 They, work along tbe sbore line and into tbe sounds, bays, and rivers. 

 Tbeir appearance is regular and certain, and tbey disappear in a body 

 about tbe 1st of October. 



Capt. Eeuben C. Kenney, of Nantucket, Mass., states tbat tbey appear 

 in tbe vicinity of tbat island about tbe 1st of May, or a little earlier if 

 tbe season be favorable. Tbey appear to come from tbe direction of 

 Sandy Hook and tbe coast of New Jersey. Tbey are most abundant in 

 June and July, and begin tbeir return in October, all disappearing in 

 November. 



Capt. Josiab Hardy second, of Cbatbam, Mass., writes: — "Tbe men- 

 baden seen bere are on tbeir route to tbe eastern sbores, coming from 



* Report of the Massachusetts Commissioners of Inland Fisheries for 1871, and Re- 

 port of United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries 1871-72, pp. 174-176. 



