18 INLAND FISHERIES. 



crease in quantity, altlioug-li his catches in the last eight years 

 were all slig-htly better than during this season. 



S<p-iiteayue. 



These have been aljnndant. They were taken in the upper 

 waters of the Bay from June to the middle of November. In 

 former j^ears Buzzard's Bay and vicinity were spawning grounds of 

 the squiteague, but now the young can be ol)tained only in the 

 "Wareham and Acushnet rivers, and there only in very small num- 

 bers. Judging from the al)undance of the young in Narragansett 

 Bay it would seem that Rhode Island waters were favorite sjiawn- 

 ing grounds at present. 



Scuj). 



The catch of scup has l)een good, but not extraordinary. The 

 first were taken in Noah Thompson's trap, off Newport, April 21. 

 The temperature of the water was a little below the average, but 

 the first specimens appeared at the usual time. 



Hickory Shad. 

 These fish have been here in considerable numbers, 



Blne-Fhh. 

 This year's catch has been relativelj^ small. 



Meyihade)^. 



The menhaden season has been the most successful in three 

 years according to the Fisheries Company. The total catch for 

 1900 is 894,359 barrels which is 421 barrels more than that of 1889. 

 During the latter part of August the menhaden were very scarce 

 in the bay. Fishermen had to pay as high as six cents apiece for 

 them as bait. The U. S. F. C. Schooner " Grampus " was prevented 

 from making a second trip for tile-fish because of the scarcity of 

 bait. 



