American Fisheries Society 27 S 



in Greenwich Bay I have known in quantities weighing 2 pounds each 

 on an average, but the boys do not consider them worth going after, 

 although sometimes that is all you can get. 



Dr. Gill: You have a sample here of the variety of opinion there 

 is as to the weakfish. We have had the word "bluefish" as an addi- 

 tional difficulty. The term "bluefish" is misapplied along part of the 

 New Jersey coast, as Mr. Meehan knows. The name "greenfish" is 

 sometimes misapplied. The name "checouts" and variations of it have 

 been applied along the eastern coast of Long Island. 



Now as to the average weight. By average weight I mean the 

 average weight of the numerous fishes found along the coast as well 

 as those outside. It has been truly said that the average of the fish 

 that are caught in the outside waters is greater than the general 

 average, or than those that are found in the interior. It is very 

 remarkable that so many fishes as large as 16 pounds have been ob- 

 tained. In 1871 testimony was taken by the United States Fish Com- 

 missioner in Newport, R. I. A number of professional fishermen and 

 owners of pounds testified there and their consensus was that the 

 weight of the weakfish was about 3 or 4 pounds; that is the average 

 maximum or maximum average. 



Dr. Baird also made extensive observations on hauls on the coast of 

 New Jersey in 1854 and found among many thousands that the average 

 was a good deal under 5 pounds; so that the experience of anyone 

 finding a number of fishes of 16 pounds weight must be somewhat 

 exceptional. And as to Mr. Meehan's statements, they conflict with 

 what was obtained by Professor Baird and fishermen generally. 



I do not deny any of these statements. I am much interested in 

 them ; but in my estimates I have been guided by my own observations, 

 and I have never seen in the markets a fish weighing more than 4 

 pounds. Among the many thousands that I have seen from my youth 

 upward I never saw a weakfish that weighed much over 4 pounds. 

 My observations of the fish in the New York markets commenced as 

 far back as 1854, when I was a youth. I went through the markets 

 daily then, that is Fulton Market and Washington Market, New York, 

 the great fish markets. The weakfish were not then the predominant 

 fish that they are now in New York, but, nevertheless, I saw countless 

 thousands, and I do not recollect of having seen any that was much 

 over 4 pounds. But I wish that that experience could be recorded 

 so that it could be made use of in my article; 17 pounds, of course, is 

 quite possible, I don't deny that at all. 



Mr. Meehan : Twelve and a half pounds was the largest. 



Dr. Gill : And you weighed them ? 



Mr. Meehan : Yes. 



Mr. Boardman : I saw them weighed a year ago last July, and the 

 fish were running rather high but nothing extraordinary. 



Dr. Gill : As I stated at the outset, there is no such period of 

 growth for fishes as there is for other animals; so that it is quite 

 possible that there might have been an exceptional run of fishes 

 do not think you could repeat it, and I think I may safely say that your 



