190 



catching them formerly was by the setting of weirs off the shore, for 

 they swam along the shore, and very many were thus captured ; but 

 that method had failed, for now they seem to pass just outside of 

 the weirs. The present mode of fishing is by " gilling " them, as fol- 

 lows : two boats, each with 450 yards of nets, after uniting their 

 ends, start from a common point away from one another, in opposing 

 semicircles, so as to enclose the fishes seen ; but, just before reaching 

 one another, they turn inwards, each towards the net they have laid, 

 turning round more and more in a helicoid curve till the end is reach- 

 ed ; a position being then taken at the open space, by the splashing 

 of oars the fishes are frightened away directly into the meshes of the 

 net. 



Mackerel (^Scomber vernalis Mitch.) also had changed their habits 

 much. The former method used in catching them was by dragging 

 hooks on lines twenty fathoms long, and constantly raising and lower- 

 ing them ; now they are caught at the surface with bait, large quan- 

 tities of it being strewn alongside to attract them. The bait used is 

 generally the poorer mackerel, ground up. The former method of 

 obtaining them has now entirely failed. 



The Cod (^Morrhua americana) upon the Banks of Newfoundland 

 seem also to have changed their habits. Formerly, all the fish were 

 caught on board of the vessels wliile lying at anchor. The vessels 

 take a crew of eight men, each using two lines ; when the fish were 

 abundant, all the men would fish, but usually not more than half the 

 crew ; at times, when no fish could be taken, all the lines but one 

 would be drawn in, and then they would begin to be taken abundant- 

 ly ; but let two or more men begin to drop their lines, and not an 

 individual would be taken ; while, should all the lines but one be again 

 taken in, the captures would once more be frequent. This suggested 

 the idea of carrying small boats with them, so that each man could fish 

 apart from the others, and in this they met with perfect success ; and, 

 generally, when all the fishermen in the boats would catch them plen- 

 tifully, few or none could be taken from on board the vessel. Capt. 

 Atwood thought that the cause was the different motion of the small 

 boats from the vessel, as there is constantly an agitation of the waves 

 upon the Banks. 



The following letters, recently received, were read by the 

 Secretary, viz. : — 



From the American Philosophical Society, February 6th, October 

 3d, November 8th, 1862; and the Real Academia de Ciencias, 

 Madrid, Dec. 11, 1862, acknowledging the receipt of the Society's pub- 

 lications; from the Oberhessische Gesellschaft, Giessen, June 1st, 1862, 

 acknowledging the same, and presenting its own. From the Literary 



