(58 



than manj' other species. In Europe ever,y part of this fish is used: 

 tlie sounds to make glue ; the bones pounded up and fed to cattle. 



On our coast the codllsh differ in size ; probably from their differ- 

 ent ages. They are not a migratory fish, like mackerel, but are some- 

 where on our coast everj^ month in the year. At Cape Cod we find 

 them in shoal water, following the bait ; as the weather gets warmer, 

 we find them in deeper water. Before trawl-fishing was introduced 

 into Massachusetts waters we caught but few haddock ; we didn't 

 suppose they were there, but when we used the trawl, we caught nearly 

 all haddock. In dressing the fish we found mud and shells in the 

 haddock, but none in the stomach of the cod. showing that the had- 

 dock lives nearer the bottom than the cod. The practice of ti'awling 

 has not tended to decrease the supply of haddock, as was feared. 

 The codfish lives to a considerable age. and the supply is almost inex- 

 haustible. 



Capt. Atwood also gave an interesting account of the habits of 

 the mackerel. The earliest large mackerel are the spawning fish,, 

 and these will not bite until after they have deposited their spawn ; 

 they are often caught in nets, but will not take the hook. Later in 

 the season other mackerel come in and take more readilj^ to the hook. 

 Mackerel grow to maturity in three or four years. The difference 

 in the cull of mackerel denotes a year's growth. No two men acquaint- 

 ed with the matter would disagree on the cull of mackerel, the line of 

 demarkation is so well defined. 



- The captain gave some interesting reminiscences of his experi- 

 ences in taking mackerel, and a variety of information concerning the 

 habits of this fish. In reply to an inquiry, he said that mackei-el in- 

 habited all depths of water. 



Mr. Alpheus Hyatt gave an account of his morning researches 

 among the piles under the wharves of the harbor ; exhibiting portions 

 of bark taken from the piles which were covered with the young, or 

 hydroid state of Jellj^-fishes, and described the development of these 

 singular animals. 



Mr. Edward S. Morse explained the structure of some fine Barna- 

 cles which had been collected in the harbor. 



Rev. J. C. Eletcher, the celebrated Brazilian traveller, related sev- 

 eral interesting incidents of his experience in foreign lands, showing 

 how Essex County people are scattered over all the world, and attrib- 

 uted the Imperial reception of Agassiz in Brazil to the impression first 

 made upon the mind of the Emperor by the discovery, bj^ one of Agas- 

 siz's pupils from Essex county, of the singular habit of a Brazilian 

 fish, belonging to the family of Chromids, which carries its eggs in the 

 mouth until they are hatched. 



