88 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



seined in 1877 10,500,000 fish, which jiekled 24,000 gallons of oil and 

 1,300 tons of scrap. 



The Sterling Company of Greeuport, N. Y., took in 1877, with three 

 seine-yachts and six lighters, 14,419,000 hsh. 



The steamers often make wonderful captures. The "Cambria," Capt. 

 Lorenzo Tallman, is, I am informed, one of the most successful, fishing 

 chiefly outside of Montauk. In 1876 this steamer was brought to the 

 factory, loaded to the water's edge, thirty-six dnys in succession. In 

 187G the "William Spicer " captured 729,300 fish in five days. 



Review of tlie fislieries of Xciv England since 1875, hy Mr. J). T. Church. 



110. Mr. D. T. Church, who is recognized to be one of the leading 

 spirits in the menhaden fisheries, gives the following estimate of the 

 success of the fisheries for three years past : 



"1875 was a successful year; so was 187G. The year 1877 from New 

 York to Cape Cod was the best since 1870. North of Cape Cod it was 

 the worst since 1865. There was plenty of fish but no oil. J. Church 

 & Co. caught, in 1876, 200,000 barrels and made over 620,000 gallons 

 of oil. During the year 1877 they caught 183,000 barrels, and only made 

 little over 300,000 gallons of oil. A fish called baracouta drove the men- 

 haden from their usual feeding-grounds, and were absent until they (the 

 baracouta) disappeared ; they then put in an appearance, but too late 

 for the factories to do much. The first taken during the summer of 1877 

 in Maine were from the waters of bays and rivers, and they were less 

 than one-half as fat as they were the year before, when we took them 

 10 to 15 miles at sea. 



"The fishermen usually steam square out to sea, and for the last ten 

 years have found immense beds of them, and apparently inexhaustible 

 amounts, 3 to 4 miles ofi' shore, and generally after about the middle of 

 July they get fat. This year the fat sea-fish could not be found at sea. 



"About September 10, the baracoutas left and then they suddenly 

 made their appearance oft' Portland and vicinity, and at one time the bay 

 between Cape Elizabeth and Wood Island was packed full of the largest 

 and fattest fish that was ever seen on this coast. Our fleet were in the 

 midst of the schools part of two days. A storm came on, and after it 

 was over, they were gone and were not seen afterward. It was about 

 the 1st of October." 



The baracouta referred to by Mr. Church is doubtless the tunny or 

 horse-mackerel. 



Bevieic of the fisheries of Lorxg Island Sound since 1870^ hy Mr. G. W. 



Miles. 



111. Mr. George W. Miles, of Milford, Conn., for fifteen years engaged 

 in the menhaden fisheries, writes: 



" We cannot perceive any diminution in numbers or quantity, but we 



