THE SCALLOP FISHERY. 577 



not more than 15 bushels of scallops shall be taken by one boat in one day, and only between the 

 15th of September and the 15th of May. In respect to this law Mr. Kumlien says : " We are 

 informed that certain of the scallopers were instrumental in getting this law passed, in the hopes 

 of raising the price ; when they found it did not serve that purpose, they were the first to break 

 it. We are informed the law is of no account at all. Quantities are stolen long before the time 

 allowed, and the majority of the boats take all they can get, as they can fish only when there is a 

 wind." Though I heard dissatisfaction expressed with the law, I was assured, when I was there, 

 that the la\v was well kept by all the Greenwich scallopefs -at least, and, indeed, by everybody. 

 Each man's jealousy of his neighbor's getting an advantage over him, a feeling which seems far 

 more strongly developed among the followers of the sea than among any class of landsmen I 

 know of, prompted an incessant watch upon one another's movements, the sharpness of which 

 was increased by the knowledge that to the informant went half the fine levied upon conviction. 

 No one seemed to have any better protective measure to propose, at any rate. 



Restricted by this law and the circumstances, the catch of Greenwich Bay during the six 

 active weeks in the autumn of 1879 was closely estimated at 24,000 bushels. Mr. Wilson con- 

 siders this equal to 24,000 gallons, but I think they would hardly measure so much, and would 

 prefer to say 20,000 gallons. At 60 cents per gallon (which the fishermen consider too low to be 

 profitable or encouraging even) the value of the catch would be $12,000. The bulk of the scallops 

 caught here go to New York, but Providence, Newport, and Connecticut towns receive small but 

 regular supplies. They bear a high reputation in all markets. 



To the value of the boats must be added five hundred dredges, at $4 apiece, making $2,000 

 and about $500 for other accouterments. The total floating capital invested in the scallop fishery 

 here is, then, $14,500. 



At Wickford, R. I., there live a few scallopers, and thre boats are owned ; but these have 

 been included in the statistics of Greenwich Bay, where they do all their fishing. 



LONG ISLAND SOUND. Though formerly there were an abundance of scallops on the Connecticut 

 coast, as is recorded by the early writers, no catching of them there now is profitable. This is true 

 of all Long Island Sound, apparently, though occasional catches are made at long intervals. At 

 Oyster Bay, Mr. Fred. Mather was told that every few years they had a crop of scallops, and that 

 in 1880 there were large numbers of young, as large as a quarter dollar, to be seen. The fishermen 

 told him that there were always a few. Hempstead Bay formerly possessed them, but they have 

 now wholly disappeared from its area. Five years ago (1875) these shell-fish were plentiful in Port 

 Jeiferson Harbor, being taken by the boat-load. After an almost entire absence, about 250 gallons 

 were caught and opened in 1880. The irregularity of Northport Harbor has already been men- 

 tioned. The last occasion when they appeared in force was in 1878, during which year the crop 

 was said to be 10,000 bushels, which would perhaps "open" 7,500 gallons, worth $4,000. I am 

 inclined to think this a large estimate, however. A few years ago, it is said, scallops were com- 

 mon enough off Bridgeport, Conn., but have now wholly disappeared, the few that are caught 

 anywhere in that neighborhood there finding a prompt local sale. 



THE SCALLOP INDUSTRY AT EAST END OF LONG ISLAND. In Peconic and the other bays at 

 the eastern end of Long Island, inclosed by Moutauk and Orient Points and Gardiner's Island, is 

 the very important scallop ground and fishery to which I have already alluded as having its head- 

 quarters at New Suffolk, or Cutchogue, as it is known to the Post-Office Depaitment and railway 

 people. Here this industry takes the place of an oyster-culture or clam-digging, and ranks high 

 as a means of support to the people along the shore. In October of 1879 the account of this 

 fishery, already quoted, was printed in the New York Herald, which 1 am glad to copy and con- 

 SEC. v, VOL. ii 37 



