72 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Church, of Tiverton, R. I. ; and by the opinions of Captain J. W. 

 Collins, of the United States Fish Commission, Prof. G. Brown 

 Goode, and many others scientifically and practically engaged 

 in deep-sea and coast fisheries. For instance Captain Collins 

 says: 



" The researches and inquiries made by the Fish Commission,. 

 I think, show conclusively that certain species of migratory 

 fishes, like, for instance, the mackerel and menhaden, are subject 

 to influences which determine their abundance outside of any- 

 thing that can be done by man influences that are much more 

 potent than man's are." In proof of this statement both Captain 

 Church and Mr. Collins have drawn attention to the facts that,, 

 in the case of mackerel and menhaden are^ like mackerel, migra- 

 tory and similarly influenced seasons of scarcity may be and are 

 followed by years of comparative plenty ; and a series of seasons 

 of scarcity may be followed by a gradual increase until an abun- 

 dance is reached that is very surprising. 



This disposes of the claim that purse-seine fishing affects the- 

 natural scarcity or abundance of fish on the coast. Mr. Church 

 and Mr. R. E. Earle authoritatively deny the statements that 

 food fishes are taken in the nets of the menhaden steamers. And 

 Mr. Earle says that, when engaged, as an expert of the United 

 States Fish Commission, to inquire into the menhaden fisheries, 

 he did not see enough food fish taken for the table of the steamer 

 as the result of several hauls of menhaden. 



Right here it will be interesting to describe the method of 

 seining menhaden, showing how it is almost impossible to capture 

 food fishes other than migratory fishes in the purse seines. The 

 steamers used in the menhaden fishery average about seventy-five 

 tons register and have a carrying capacity of nearly one hundred 

 and fifty tons. Each steamer is manned by twenty to twenty-five 

 men, of whom sixteen are fishermen. When a school of fish is 

 sighted, two boats put out from the steamer, each boat containing 

 eight men. From one of these boats the net is " shot " the other 

 holding the top and foot lines of one end. The usual length of a 

 purse net or seine is about eighteen hundred feet and the depth 

 sixty to one Imndred and twenty feet. As one of the boats rows 

 around the school of fish, the net is thrown out from the other, 

 and when the circle is made, both ends of the " bottom line " 

 are drawn. This makes the " purse " ; but it also allows the 

 "bottom fish," which are practically all food fishes, time to escape ; 

 so that as a rule no fishes except the menhaden, or whatever kind 

 of fishes are inclosed on the surface, are captured by the purse 

 seines. The top lines are then drawn, and the bag or purse com- 

 pleted. The contents are then towed along to the steamer, where 

 they are hoisted by steam, and the seine emptied into the "hold." 



