REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 93 



intervals, towing for mackerel food, and recording all facts obtainable 

 from the fishing captains or by personal observations respecting the 

 positions of the schools each day, their extent, movements, depth, the 

 abundance, size, and condition of the fish, etc. From the extreme south 

 the Grampus followed the main body of the fish to the region off New 

 York, and thence proceeded eastward over Georges Bank to Cape Sable 

 and the Nova Scotia coast. Here the mackerel were studied during 

 their progress to the Gulf of St. Lawrence as far as Cape North, stops 

 being made at Shelburne, Liverpool, Beaver Harbor, and North Sidney, 

 in search of such information as could be gained from the local fisheries 

 in the neighborhood of those places. 



On June 13, the main part of the down run of mackerel having 

 ended and the spring season closed on the cape shore, the Grampus 

 left North Sidney and returned to Gloucester, first passing around 

 the north side of Cape Breton and through the Gut of Canso, in quest 

 of further data. Gloucester was reached on June 25, and the remainder 

 of the month was spent in preparations for a summer cruise on the 

 mackerel grounds in the Gulf of Maine. This work was in charge of 

 Mr. E. E. Hahn, master of the Grampus, with Mr. W. C. Kendall as 

 naturalist. 



Mr. B. L. Hardin was stationed again this year at Fulton Market, 

 New York City, from April 21 to the last of May, his observations 

 being mainly supplemental to those conducted on board the schooner 

 Grampus and directed chiefly toward completing the records bearing 

 upon the early offshore fishery. Every fare landed by the purse-seiners 

 from the southern grounds, as well as all specimens received from the 

 shore fisheries tributary to New York, were inspected by Mr. Hardin, 

 and everything that could be learned relating to their capture and 

 conditions was fully noted. Convenient office and laboratory accom- 

 modations were supplied gratuitously by Hon. E. G. Blackford, through 

 whom and the other prominent fish-dealers of the city, Mr. Hardin 

 was afforded the fullest opportunity for the successful prosecution of 

 his inquiries. 



Mr. H. F. Moore, of the University of Pennsylvania, was detailed to 

 the study of the shore fisheries from their southern limit at Virginia 

 Beach, Va., to Rhode Island. His work was begun at the south at the 

 commencement of the season, and was carried northward, all of the 

 principal fishing centers being visited, the fishermen interrogated, spec- 

 imens examined wherever possible, and blanks left to be filled in with 

 daily records of the catch. In this manner a very complete account 

 was secured of the shore relations of the mackerel during the period of 

 their early movements, a subject which had not hitherto been given 

 much attention. 



Dr. W. E. Wolhaupter was given the section of coast from Rhode 

 Island to the outer side of Cape Cod, including the important spawning 

 and hooking grounds between Block Island and Nomans Laud, and 

 the extensive trap-net fisheries of Vineyard and Nantucket sounds. 



