. 188 
Monday morning of each week of the-spawning-season, and after that 
no restriction need be imposed. 
X. It is desirable that the regulation for a close time during each 
week be passed by the several States; and if this cannot be effected, 
then the General Government should enact absolute prohibition, or at 
least during the spawning-season, as it possesses no officers who could 
exercise the supervision required to enforce the partial closure, or be- 
fore whom complaints could be entered and the penalty exacted. 
XI. Any marked increase in the number of the shore-fishes, resulting 
from their protection during the spawning-season, will probably tend 
to restore the blue-tish to their original numbers. 
XII. As there is reason to believe that scup, and toa less degree other 
shore-fishes, as well as blue-fish, have several times disappeared at inter- 
vals to a greater or less extent, within the historic period of New Eng- 
land, we cannot be certain that the use of traps and pounds within the 
last ten years has actually produced the scarcity complained of. The 
fact, however, that these engines do destroy the spawniifg-fish in so 
great numbers renders it very probable that they exercise a decided 
influence. No vested interest or right will suffer by the experiment of 
regulating the period of their use, as we have attempted to show that a 
better price will be obtained from a smaller number of fish, by prevent- 
ing the glutting of the market, and the consequent waste of so perish- 
able an article as fresh fish. , 
XII. A feeling of bitterness entertained by the line fisherman and 
the general public against traps and pounds, and those who own and 
profit by them, will, in a measure, be allayed if the experiment of regu- 
lation and restriction be tried, at least for a few years. 
FOREIGN STATISTICS. 
The following statements are from a translation of a recent report of 
the French minister of the interior: 
CREATION OF A BUREAU OF STATISTICS IN AUSTRIA.—A hew bureat, 
in the department of commerce, called the bureau of statistics, has been 
organized in Austria. The importance of the science of statisties is 
generally recognized. Austrian economists have long been pressing 
this matter upon the government and the public. Says the former 
minister of commerce, a well known economist, Doctor Schaeeffle, ‘ Offi- 
cial statistics should be extended as a network of observations over the 
whole country, and consecrate its best efforts to the study of social 
movement.” . The new measure will fill a seriously felt blank. It is true 
there was in existence a central commission of statistics, but its labors 
wanted method and unity. Furthermore, its activity was limited to the 
interior, whereas comparative statistics is the only system of valae or 
utility. The department of industrial statistics is entively wanting In 
Austria, which is especially to be regretted at the opening of the uni- 
versal exposition. The department of commercial statistics was better 
organized, but publications concerning it rarely appeared at usefal 
periods, and were too tardily given to the public. Every three months 
the minister of commerce announced, ina weekly review, The Austria, the 
results of the commercial movement; the Central Commission of Statis- 
tics published annual reports. But sometimes these abstracts did not 
agree with each other. Unity of direction was manifestly deficient. 
The new organization takes cognizance of this difficulty. 
