INLAND FISHERIES. 31 



VI. Tlie Inved'igat'ion of the Playne lohich Destroyed Midtitudes 

 of Fish and CrastHcea Duriiuj thr Fall of 1S9S. 



BY A. D. JlEAn. 



During the last two months the inhabitants of Rhode Island 

 witnessed the following remarkable phenomenon. The water of a 

 considerable portion of the bay became thick and red, emitting an 

 odor almost intolerable to those living near by. The situation 

 became alarming when, on the 9th and 10th of September, thou- 

 sands of dead fish, crabs, and shrimps were found strewn along 

 the shores or even piled up in windrows. 



At the request of the Rhode Island Commission of Inland Fish- 

 eries, an investigation was made to determine the cause and ex- 

 tent of the unusual color of the water, and of the great mortality 

 of the fish. The results of this investigation are briefly as follows : 



During the last of August, throughout September and a part of 

 October, streaks of red or " chocolate " water Avere observed from 

 near Quonset Point and Prudence Island, north to Providence, 

 and, on the flood tide, up the Seekonk river, nearly to Pawtucket, 

 a range of about fifteen miles. In other parts of the bay, as far 

 as could be learned, the phenomenon had not been observed. 



On the 8th and 9th of September the water became extremely 

 red and thick in various localities from East Greenwich to Provi- 

 dence, and the peculiar behavior of the marine animals attracted 

 much attention. Myriads of shrimps and blue crabs, and vast 

 numbers of eels, menhaden, tautog, and flat-fish came up to the 

 surface and to the edge of the shore as though struggling to get 

 out of the noxious water. Indeed, the slmmp and crabs were ob- 

 served actually to climb out of the w^ater upon stakes and buoys, 

 and even upon the iron cylinders which support one of the bridges 

 and which must have been ver}^ hot in the bright sun. In several 

 instances, on these two days, hundreds of blue crabs were caught 

 by a single individual in a few minutes' time, at the mouth of the 

 Seekonk. 



On the following day, September 10th, and for several days 



