187 / . 
early life, and have a fair chance to reach maturity. Therefore, if 12,000,000,000 are 
eaten, the number destroyed off the New England coast in a season of one hundred 
and twenty to one hundred and fifty days can be easily estimated. 
Notwithstanding this great destruction by the blue-fish, Professor 
Baird is confirmed in his impression, by careful observation, that to the 
concurrent action of man is due in larger proportion the decrease of 
fish, and in some grounds a danger of practical extermination. The 
tendency of the methods employed, in many cases, is obviously in the 
direction of a comparative diminution of fish-supplies. The general 
conclusions of Professor Baird, covering the results of two seasons of 
patient and pains-taking investigations, will be read with interest. 
I. The alleged decrease in the number of food-fishes in these waters 
within the past few years has been fully substantiated. 
Il. The shore-fishes have been decreasing during the past twenty 
years, gradually at first, but much more abruptly from the year 1865 ; 
the reduction in the year 1871 being so great, as entirely to prevent any 
successful suenmer-fishing with the hook and line, and leaving to the 
traps and pounds the burden of supplying the markets. This state- 
ment applies also, but perhaps to a certain extent, to the blue-fish. The 
decrease in their numbers first manifested itself about ten years ago, 
and is going on quite rapidly until now. 
III. This period of decrease represents the time during which the 
traps and pounds have been well established, their operations increasing 
year by year, and their catch, especially in the early spring, being 
always very great. — 
IV. In 1871 and 1872 the decrease in the number of fish has been 
so great as to reduce very largely the profit formerly derived by the 
traps. 
V. The appearance, in 1871, of an unusually large number of young 
fish spawned in 1870, is a phenomenon only to be explained by the 
probable escape of a larger number of breeding-fish than usual during 
the previous season, an abrupt decrease in the ravages of blue-fish and 
other species, or else by a spontaneous movement northward of newly- 
hatched fish that ordinarily Would have remained on a more southern 
coast. While these fish will, probably, for several years, constitute a 
marked feature in the fisheries, there is no evidence of the existence of 
a second crop of young fish corresponding to the one in question. 
VI. The decrease of the fish may be considered as due to the com- 
bined action of the ‘fish-pounds or weirs, and the blue-fish ; the former 
destroying avery large percentage of the spawning fish before they have 
deposited their eggs, and the latter devouring immense numbers of 
young fish after they have passed the ordinary perils of immaturity. 
VU. There are no means at our command for destroying tbe blue- 
fish, nor would it be desirable to do this, in view of their value as an 
article of food. The alternative is to regulate the action of the pounds 
so as to prevent the destruction of fish during the spawning-season. 
VIII. The quickest remedy would be the absolute abolition of the 
traps and pounds. This, however, would be a harsh measure, and their 
proper regulation will probably ‘answer the purpose of restoring the 
supply, al ‘though a greater number of years will be required. Such reg- 
ulation may consist either in prohibiting the use of traps or pounds 
during the entire season of the spawning of the fish, or for a certain 
number of days in each week during that season. 
IX. As the principal profit of the “pounds is derived from the catch of 
fish during the spawning-season, it will probably be sufficient to try the 
experiment of prohibition of the use of nets from Friday night until 
