HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 431 



main school and go to the nearest suitable water and deposit their 

 spawn, anj'where from Carolina to Maine. The fish that come in this 

 river to spawn come in May as stragglers when the schools are outside j 

 at that time the spawn will run and the fish are soon spent; at this time 

 they are worthless for bait or oil, and do not get in good condition until 

 they pass out. 



23. No. 



24. Forty degrees to sixty degrees. 



25. On flats that are nearly dry at low water. 



30. Eels and irost-fish gathered in the vicinity of the spawning- 

 grounds. 



31. Very free from them. 



32. To a great extent, as all other fish feed on them. 



33. Have never seen any symptoms of any. 



I cannot answer the others as to catch, profits, &c., as I am not en- 

 gaged in extracting oil from them. 



40. Statement of Leander Wilcox^ Mystic Bridge^ Conn., January 15, 1875. 



1. Bony fish. 



2. Most plentiful. 



3. Probably increased. 



4. One hundred and nine thousand six hundred barrels. Mint Head 

 Company or Noyes Neck Oil Company, 4,200 barrels ; G. S. Allyn & 

 Co., 38,000 barrels ; Quinippiac Company, 36,000 barrels; E. Chapman, 

 9,000 barrels ; Quiambog Company, 7,200 barrels ; Gardner & Co., 11,200- 

 barrels ; Andrews Island Company, 8,000 barrels. 



6. May 1. No. At four different times. 



7. High. They make a ripple. Yes. 



8. South. They pass both east and west in this region. 



9. Quite regular. They never fail for more than one season ; even 

 then only partially ; they return in greater abundance. 



11. More are apt to come to the top at the turn of the tide. 



12. Differ at different times. 



13. From 10 to 100 feet, and they sometimes lie on the bottom. 



14. Yes. 



15. No. No. 



16. Yes, in midsummer. They are from 2 to 3 inches long. 



17. In December, or before, in a body or in schools. 



18. As they came. 



19. In warm climates, always keeping in water of a uniform tempera 

 ture. 



20. A fine white jelly. 



21. Here in the spring and south in the winter. 



22. There are a dozen or more females to one male. 



