THE FISHERIES OF THE HUDSON RIVER, 



659 



The boats employed in fishing these stake-nets are superior to those usually found in attend- 

 ance upon shad nets. They cost, according to Mr. John Ludlow, about $150 apiece. The fish are 

 transported to the New York market by sloops and schooners, being vessels of from 12 to 18 

 tons burden, and costing from $700 to $1,000 apiece. 



Between Fort Lee and Troy, as far as could be ascertained, drift-nets are exclusively used, 

 with the exception of four haul seines, one of which is operated at Troy, and three in the 

 vicinity of Tivoli. 



Shad are taken as high up the river as the danrat Troy, about 40 miles below Glens Falls. 

 At that point, however, but few are captured at the present time. This dam is the only artificial 

 obstruction on -the river. 



Sturgeon fishing on the Hudson is, at the present day, of very secondary importance, and the 

 number of pounds taken annually would not materially increase the aggregate river production. 

 No reliable data, however, were obtained, and therefore statistics of this fishery are not included 

 in the summation for the river given below. The annual catch of sturgeon amounts probably 

 to several hundred thousand pounds. Tbe fish are used for local consumption, or are shipped to 

 Albany and New York. When sturgeon fishing was of great importance on this river Albany was 

 the chief mart, and hence the name "Albany beef." On the James River, Virginia, the meat of 

 this fish is known as "Charles City bacon." 



Undoubtedly large quantities of rock, or striped bass, perch, and other species are taken on 

 this river in the summer and fall fisheries. No reliable figures were obtained, as the product of 

 these irregular fisheries is always sent to New York and no accessible record kept of the quan- 

 tities received. 



Summation for Hudson River. 



* This includes cost of poles nsed in connection with the stake-net fisheries. 



6. THE CONNECTICUT AND HOUSATONIC RIVERS AND MINOR 

 TRIBUTARIES OF LONG ISLAND SOUND. 



By MARSHALL MCDONALD. 

 1. THE FISHERIES OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. 



FOKMEI; ABUNDANCE OF FISH. The Connecticut River rises in Lake Connecticut, in the 

 extreme northern part of New Hampshire, flows southward, forming the boundary line between 

 that State and Vermont, crosses the entire States of Massachusetts and Connecticut, and empties 

 into Long Island Sound. The tributaries of the Connecticut are small, flowing down from 

 elevated regions. They are all natural trout streams, and those which have been preserved still 

 afford good sport to the angler. In early days salmon were caught in these streams. In one, 

 especially, the Farmiugtou, which is au important tributary, shad and salmon were abundant, but 



