[33 J WORK or FISH COMMISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS. 149 



under the iuicroscoi)e to be a species of crab. During the winter before 

 last all the codfish caught from Barnegat to Fire Island were found to 

 have menhaden in their stomachs, proving that there were menhaden 

 on that ground all winter. They do not strike the coast at some south- 

 ern point and work along northward, as some suppose, but come to it di- 

 rectly from the sea, although after reachiug it their course is to the north- 

 ward. I have noticed that very few menhaden spawn in tliis locality and 

 very little ripe spawn at any time in the fish that come here. About 

 August 1 they come out of Long Island Sound and go to sea, continu- 

 ing to do so until suow falls in the autumn. Usually schools of mack- 

 erel come here about June 15, and make a short stop before going east. 

 Menhaden, when traveling, will sometimes school and show on the 

 surface if the weather is cold, but feeding fish do not show unless the 

 weather is warm." 



Capt. D. Eacket, of the smack Georgeanna, from Greenport, engaged 

 in taking sea bass, made the following statement : 



" I have seen menhaden nearly every day in the neighborhood of Mon- 

 tauk Point. Hook-fishing, as a general thing, has been good this year. 

 I consider 150 fish to eacli man per day a fair average." 



On the 8th Ave got under way and stood to the westward along the 

 southern shore of Long Island. We saw a number of small schools of 

 menhaden off Shinnecock, the light bearing abeam about 4 miles dis- 

 tant. At this ]>oint changed course to S. by E., and 9 miles from Shin- 

 necock saw lai%e rafts of menhaden considerably strung out and h\ 

 sight in all directions. We saw them first at 8.45 a. m., and passed the 

 last at 9.30 a. m., the vessel then making 9 knots. No fishing gangs 

 were in sight. It was nearly calm, with very light airs from the west- 

 ward. Off shore of these fish we saw numerous ''puffing pigs" and one 

 swordfish. Eighteen miles on this course we saw a school of small 

 mackerel. Tide rips here have a very peculiar appearance, and strongly 

 resemble mackerel schooling. At 10.40 a. m., Shinnecock light being 

 21 miles to the northward and westward, the course was changed to 

 ENE. f E. At noon saw several schools of menhaden, and continued 

 to see them until 1 p. m. At 3.30 saw a very large school of porpoises, 

 Block Island bearing abeam about 15 miles distant. Anchored off the 

 basin, Block Island, for the night. After anchoring I went on shore 

 and interviewed Mr. Nicholas Ball, one of the oldest residents of the 

 place, who made the following statement : 



" The net profits of the fisheries of this island for the year 1882 

 amounted to $42,325. This money was mostly realized from the sale 

 of salt fish and oil. Codfish arrive here about the 1st of April, and 

 are caught until the first of June, when they disappear. They have 

 spawn in them when they arrive in the spring, but when they return, 

 about the middle of October, they have none. They usually remain 

 here in the fall until the latter part of December. Mackerel arrive here 

 about June 1 ; they make a very short stop, seldom longer than two 



