ex REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Mr. Viual N. Edwards, who has been attached to the Woods Holl 

 Station since it was first estabhshed in 1871, continued during- the entire 

 year his observations upon the natural liistory and tenijjerature of the 

 waters in this region, in addition to the assistance which he rendered 

 in connection with the fish-cultural work. His duties in the line of 

 scientific inquiry consist in keeping a daily record of all fishes ])resent 

 An this neighborhood, so far as the same can be determined by observing 

 the catches nuxde by the fishermen, and by making frequent collecting 

 trips with seines, gill nets, tow nets, etc., to all parts of Vineyard Sound, 

 Buzzards Bay, and other neighboring waters. 



One of the most important and significant discoveries which he has 

 made in recent years relates to the spawning habits of the menhaden. 

 The very young of this species abound during the entire summer in the 

 brackish waters of several creeks or small rivers which empty into 

 Buzzards Bay, such as the Acushnet River and the Wareham River, 

 and their incredible numbers, taken in connection with their small size, 

 precludes their having entered these streams from the sea. The adult 

 menhaden corae into these waters to spawn in the spring, but what has 

 diverted attention from this habit is the fact that they do not school at 

 the surface at that season, and consequently their early movements 

 have generally escaped the notice of the fishermen. Since Mr. Edwards 

 first made known these observations information has been received that 

 the young have been found just as abundantly in similar situations on 

 the coast of New Jersey and in Chesapeake Bay, and a careful search 

 would undoubtedly disclose their presence along the entire range of 

 coast to which the menhaden resort. Whether or not the spawning 

 takes place exclusively in the spring has not been determined, but 

 nearly ripe menhaden have been captured in the fall, audit is possible 

 that the season is different on different parts of the coast. Observa- 

 tions relative to this very interesting problem will be actively prose- 

 cuted during next year. 



Before the end of June, 1892, a number of naturalists had already 

 arrived at the Fish Commission laboratory, and work was actively in 

 progress in advance of the regular opening day for the next season, 

 July 1. Dr. James L. Kellogg had been employed temporarily to take 

 charge of the laboratory during the summer of 1892, and reached there 

 on June 3. Others present before the close of the fiscal year were 

 Prof. F. H. Herrick, Prof. William Patten, Dr. H. V. Wilson, and Mr. 

 Maynard M. Metcalf, of Johns Hopkins University. 



Many additions made to the laboratory during the past year in the 

 way of appliances for research, books of reference, etc., have greatly 

 increased the facilities for work, Numerous courtesies have been 

 extended to the Marine Biological Laboratory, which is adjacent to 

 the Fish Commission station, and many favors in return are to be 

 acknowledged. 



