THE SCALLOP FISHERY. 



579 



the sort of bottom suitable to the animals they were looking for. After several unsuccessful trials 

 they " hove their dredges off the northeastern point of Eobin's Island, opposite New Suffolk, and 

 when they hauled them in found them solid-full of scallops." Anchoring there at night, they 

 renewed work the next morning, and soon had taken up 750 bushels, with which they departed. 



A few days later a second large sloop appeared, and after a day's dredging carried away 

 about 1,000 bushels. Scallops had been taken out of the bay and eaten by the people on its shores 

 ever since the first settlement of the region, but only in small quantities, caught by a hand-net 

 or picked up at low tide. What use was to be found for -whole ship-loads, therefore, excited much 

 questioning among the bay-men. This resulted in the discovery, by the next summer, that there 

 was a considerable demand for scallops in Norwalk, Bridgeport, New Haven, and other Connect!, 

 cut towns. C. W. Fanning, George I. and O. H. Tuthill of New Suffolk, therefore began to com- 

 pete with the sloops, which still came from across the sound. Late in the season one of the 

 citizens tried the experiment of shipping to New York, sending 7 gallons in a common nail- 

 keg. The commission merchant in Fulton market to whom they were consigned replied that 

 nobody knew what they were, but that if Mr. Tuthill would send a few in the shell they might 

 be made to go. Accordingly a box of scallops in their jackets were shipped to New York, and 

 in a week $3 was returned as the proceeds of their sale. This was the beginning of a scallop 

 business which now amounts to $15,000 or $20,000 a year. New Suffolk remains the natural center 

 and headquarters, because the facilities to open the scallops are better there than elsewhere, and 

 the village is nearest the most productive grounds, which are on the northern side of Peconic Bay. 



The catch in 1879, it is reported, was only about 20,000 bushels, or 12,000 gallons ; conse- 

 quently prices were high, the skippers often selling on the shore for as high as $1.25 or $1.50 per 

 gallon. It is probable, however, that an average of 75 cents would be fully as high as the truth 

 would permit, which would make $9,000 the value of the whole catch. 



For the season of 1880, which has been far better, owing, no doubt, in a large degree to the 

 openness of the previous winter, the record of the catch has been very carefully worked out by 

 Mr. Fred. Mather, and I give his figures without change, embodying them in a table which com- 

 prehends the scallop-fishing interest of all Peconic Bay : 



Statistics of scallop industry of Peconio Say, Long Island, in 1880. 



Amount earned by men, $15,632.04 ; amount earned by women and children, $3,859.56. Sale of 50,000 bushels of shells, at 3J cents, $1,250. 



Concerning the facts represented by the figures given above, some remarks will be advisable. 



Of the 90 men credited to New Suffolk, 70 are fishermen and 20 are openers. Out of the 200 

 persons engaged in this industry, 8 are Scotch, 12 Irish, 4 German, and 176 Americans. Of the 

 90 men, 50 are married, and in all 340 persons are dependent, giving an average of about $57 



