934 repoet of commissioner of fish and fisheries. 



State of Massachusetts, 

 Department of Inland Fisheries, 



Winchester^ Mass., October 12, 1877. 

 My Dear Hudson : The rise in the river has brought another run 

 of salmon, which are now passing over the fishway at Lawrence. There 

 seems to be no end to our success on the Merrimack. 

 Yours, with sincere regard, 



B. A. BEAOKETT. 



RHODE ISLAND. 



Atlantic salmon. — We have to report that a good many salmon have 

 been taken in the past two years that we have record of, and no doubt 

 many more unreported. 



The largest weighed ten pounds, and was taken at the foot of the falls, 

 at Pawtucket, last June. Smaller ones were taken in the Pawtuxet, 

 between the first dam and Pontiac, and a number near Westerly, below 

 the first dam on the Pawcatuck ; none larger than two and one-half 

 pounds. (Eighth report of the fish commissioners of the State Of Rhode 

 Island, 1878, p. 4.) 



CONNECTICUT. 



Atlantic salmon. — Under date of June 18, 1878, Mr. D. W. Clark writes 

 from Saybrook, Conn. : 



" The first salmon caught this season was taken in a gill-net, April 30, 

 and weighed 12 pounds. From that time to May 25 salmon were 

 cought more or less nearly every day. Since May 25 they have been 

 more scattering, so that from that date to June 18 but three have been 

 taken. The above number does not include any that the pounds have 

 liberated when caught, but those only which have gone to market. 



" The average weight of those caught has been about fourteen pounds. 

 The whole number taken up to this date in the towns of Saybrook and 

 Westbrook is forty-five, of which three-quarters were caught by gill-nets 

 on the river and one-quarter in seines on the river and pounds on Long 

 Island Sound." 



Under date of July 12, 1878, Mr. Clark again writes : 

 "I give you full results of the season of 1878. The salmon caught by 

 the pounds and put back into the water may be given as about twelve, 

 and the whole number caught by pounds as about thirty. In the river 

 the salmon caught by gill-nets were almost all taken while the water was 

 thick with mud in freshet. Experience this season proves that the gill- 

 nets are not sufficiently strong for taking salmon, nor are they of the 

 right-sized mesh. The fishermen found many.torn places in the nets, 

 which had the appearance of being caused by salmon. When these iish 

 are caught the nets are hanging slack in the wat^r and the fish are caught 

 by many folds of twine. But when the current is strong and the meshes 

 are all drawn the salmon easily break through. 



