HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 471 



thefishermeu bad provided themselves with material for saving menha- 

 den and trout, thfiirc might have been double the sum realized that there 

 was by bluefish, although there were very many blueiish caught. There 

 were engaged on the coast of Dare County twenty-live to thirty boats, 

 each boat containing one seine and three men; these were scattered 

 promiscuously along the coast, and, 1 think, from a rough calculation 

 made since I wrote you last upon the subject, that the catch lor the 

 season averaged about two thousand to each boat and crew ; making in 

 all over tifty thousand bluefish. These fish sold for from fifteen to as 

 high as fifty cents each. 1 have not heard of any being sold for less 

 than fifteen cents cash. Many of them were traded oft' for corn, flour, 

 and such other articles as this place does not produce. I think that 

 there will be very extensive preparation made for this business next 

 winter, and also for the menhaden. There is no needs of making any 

 preparation for catching the menhaden; more will be driven ashore than 

 can be saved. 



G8. Statement of A. W. ISmpson, jr., Cape Hatferas, N. C, January 25, 



1875. 



1. Fat-back. 



2. Heretofore only about one-third more abundant than any other 

 species, but I have seen twice as many fat-back during the fishing sea- 

 son of 1873 as I ever saw of any other species on our coast. 



3. It has increased. 



4. Only about fifty barrels. 



5. Neither capture nor the destruction of the fish on the coast by the 

 bluefish seem to affect their abundance. 



C. There are generally two runs ; in other words, the fat-back comes 

 south in spring, and some are seen in the sounds and rivers all the year; 

 but when they come south for the purpose of spawning, they come some- 

 times in November and at others in December. In 1873, they were first 

 seen on the coast about theGth of December, and the main body arrived 

 about the 10th of December. I did not notice any difference in the size 

 of the fish in the different runs. There- are generally more schools than 

 one; many schools may be seen at one time. They seldom come near 

 the coast in high winds and rough seas, but when they do, they swim so 

 low that they are not seen from laud. 



7. The schools of fish swim high in moderate weather, and low in high 

 winds and rough seas. Their arrival is generally known by the birds 

 and by the ripple they make on the water. They are a great attraction 

 for birds. 



8. I do not know by what route they come into the coast north of this 

 place; they come down along the coast from the north, enter the sounds 

 at the principal inlets, and go up the rivers at once; they generally go 

 from four to five miles an hour. 



9. The appearance of this fish on our coast is certain, and they are 



