THE COAST FISHERIES OF TEXAS. — 385 
ones use a table fork without the extra stick, merely grasping it by the 
handle. The catch, which is usually sold by the street peddlers, was 
reported to have been 67,000 pounds in 1890. This was proportioned 
among the various fishing localities, as follows: 
Localities. Pounds. | Value. 
Galveston Bay s.s-ct-: b scnce elke 27, 000 $1, 600 
PENT ABIS ES ESN Pa En alain anfe wets = Shs on 36, 000 1, 440 
Corpus) ChristivBay o.222.. 2222. 2:2 4, 000 160 
Botan sue esti oes a 67,000 | 3, 200 
THE CRAB FISHERY. 
The taking of crabs on the coast of Texas scarcely amounts to the 
importance of a commercial fishery, yet about 32,000-dozen are caught 
and marketed each year by boys and other persons employed around 
the wharves. These are taken by means of short hand lines and roughly 
made trap nets. The catch is usually peddled about the cities, being 
sold at the rate of 15 to 20 cents per dozen. The quantity of crabs 
taken in Galveston Bay is about five-sixths of the catch of the entire 
State. The number taken in the waters of Texas depends entirely on 
the small local demand, and there seems to be no limit to the quantity 
that might be obtained if they could be marketed. The seine fisher- 
men take large quantities, but do not save them. 
The foliowing table shows the number and value of the crabs re- 
ported as taken at the various fishing localities in 1890: 
Localities. Number.| Value. 
325, 000 $4, 200 | 
Galveston Bay. - 
26, 400 440 
Aransas Bay .-.. 
Corpus Christi 2 23, 600 400 ie 
Laguna Madre...-...-.--.-.-.- ae 6, 600 55 
tals 9852 2 aks 8 ok ete ete 381,600 | 5, 095 
ALLIGATORS AND PORPOISKES. 
While the capture of alligators is not a matter of commercial im- 
portance in this State, yet they are somewhat plentiful in the swamps 
and river bottoms, and a number are killed every year by sportsmen 
and others. Several years ago, when their hides were not so cheap as 
at present, the number taken was much greater than has been the case 
during the past three or four years. The hunting for them has some- 
what reduced their abundance. 
Porpoises are numerous on the Texas coast, and large schools of 
them are often seen in the bays as well as outside along the coasts. 
They are very frequently observed playing in the cutwater of vessels 
sailing in the Gulf of Mexico. It isreported, however, that they have 
never yet been taken for commercial purposes. 
H. Mis. 113 25 
