388 NATURAL HISTOEY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



Professor Baird ; * and from this article and an unpublished essay written in 1877 the remainder 

 of this section is made up. Professor Baird writes : 



" It makes its appearance, at least in considerable quantity, on the coast of New England 

 about the middle of May, although the advance-guard of very large fish arrive sometimes as early 

 as the middle of April ; and it is most abundant toward the 1st of June, and arrives in successive 

 detachments or ' runs ' differing in size, the smallest fish coming last. The first run on the south- 

 ern coast of New England, as stated, takes place about the beginning of May and consists of 

 large breeding fish, weighing from two to four pounds, and measuring up to eighteen inches or 

 more in length. The spawn is quite well developed at that time, and is said to be at first red, but 

 gradually to become light yellow as it matures. The particular time and place, however, of laying 

 the eggs is not yet known, although it is probable that this occurs early in June, since the schools 

 are said to break up about the middle of that month, and the fish to scatter. It is thought prob- 

 able that the spawning takes place in the eel-grass which covers the shoal waters of Narragansett 

 Bay and Vineyard Sound. 



"According to the fishermen generally, the Scup on first coming into the shores do not take 

 the hook readily, being apparently too much occupied in the business of reproduction, and two 

 weeks usually elapse before they can be caught in this way. They present themselves in large 

 schools of immense extent, and moving very slowly, at about the rate of thres miles an hour. 

 From the testimony presented before the committee of investigation of the Rhode Island legisla- 

 ture, they appear to come from the south and west, as when they- enter Narragausett Bay they 

 strike the western shore and move up along its edge. They are said, however, to drift slowly 

 backward and forward with the tide, especially at the entrance of this bay. At (his time they are 

 very sluggish, and are said sometimes to appear as if blind, and can frequently be taken with the 

 hand, or a very short scoop-net. 



"According to Captain Edwards, of Wood's Holl, in proceeding to their breeding-grounds, on 

 the coast of New England, they are taken at Montauk Point three weeks earlier than at Wood's 

 Holl, and a week earlier at Wood's Holl than at Hyannis, still farther east. 



" The Scup feed upon a great variety of marine animals, such as worms, small crustaceans, 

 mollusks, etc., and take the hook very freely during the greater part of their rrtay ; in fact, the 

 smaller ones become veritable nuisances to the fishermen, from the readineso with which they 

 pounce upon the baited hook whenever thrown overboard. 



"The flesh of the Scup is very much prized by most persons, as it is firm and flaky, and usually 

 sweet, although occasionally a bitter flavor detracts from its palatability. Since the settlement of 

 the coast by the whites, it has been by far the most important food-fish of Fisher's Island and 

 Vineyard Sounds, Narragansett Bay, and of Buzzard's Bay; and the rapid diminution in number 

 has caused the greatest solicitude. 



" Of their abundance on the south coast of New England in former times, almost incredible 

 accounts are given. They swarmed to such a degree that their capture ceased to be a matter of 

 sport. The line when thrown overboard could be immediately withdrawn with the assurance of 

 having a fish on each one of two hooks. Any number of fishermen from boats could take five 

 hundred to one thousand pounds a day without the slightest difficulty, the limits of the catch 

 being simply the ability to find a sale. 



"In flavor the flesh of this fish is surpassed by very few others on the coast, although its 

 superabundance caused it to be undervalued. The period of greatest development in number of 



1 Report U. 8. Commission Fish and Fisheries, part i, pp. 228-235> 



