INLAND FISHERIES. 17 



of the State, of exterminatino- or reduciug- tlie aunual oatcli of 

 certain species of food iisli. 



Ta utog. 



The taiitog are still abundant in our bay although they have 

 become relatively scarce in the vicinity of Woods Hole, At Paw- 

 tuxet the first specimen was taken on April 26. They were re- 

 ported very abundant and larg-e at Bristol, where Mr. Shepard 

 caug-ht in his trap a specimen weighing 13 pounds. They were 

 also plentiful in the lower Bay. Capt. Isaac L. Church, of New- 

 port, has kindly furnished the Commission with the following data 

 concerning his catch from June 11 to October 16, 1900. 



Account of Tauiog Caught hy Capt. CImrch during the Year 1900, together 

 with Prices Obtained for the Same ; 



June 11 1,031 pounds at .3 cents $30 03 



22 ()()7 " 4 " 2(i 68 



27 505 " 3 " l(i 95 



July 5 500 " 3 " 10 80 



17 762 " 3 " 22 86 



25 818 " 3 " 24 56 



Aug. 3 531 " 3 " 15 93 



13 500 " 5 " 25 00 



31 743 " 5 " 37 15 



5.58 " 5 " 27 90 



Sept. 22 1,074 " 3 " 32 22 



28 934 " 3 " 28 02 



Oct. 8 819 " 3 " 24 57 



10 695 " 3 " 20 85 



208 " 3 " 8 04 



Total 10,525 Avg. price. 3j% " $358 44 



Capt. Church fishes as a pastime, and his observation that the 

 tautog are as plentiful as they were Avhen he was a boy, in 1860, is 

 of particular interest in showing that there is no apparent de- 



