PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FISHERIES. 57 



22. They work in-sliore on tlie flood, coming among rocks after crabs. 



23. Yes. 



29. They are found all together. 



30. They prefer a current, from one to four fathoms in depth, among 

 rocks: found sometimes much deeper. 



33. They do not travel in schools. 



37. Shell-fish entirely, muscles, crabs, lobsters, &c. 



41. They usually go among the grass for spawning. 



42. No. 



46. In June, in bays and harbors, among grass. 

 50. Kear the bottom. 



63. Eels probably destroy the spawn as much as anything. 



64. Usually in the grass, near where they are spawned. 



68. Very cold winters kill them sometimes, so that they are found on 

 the shore outside frozen, on Roman's Land and Gay Head. This has 

 happened twice in ten years. Thousands have been destroyed in this 

 way. They will freeze under water, the. inside being a bunch of ice. 



71. Caught with nets in the spring, and then with the hook. The 

 hermit crab is preferred by them -, crabs and lobsters are next best. 



76. Tiaey are taken in nets from the 1st of May through the summer j 

 with hooks from the middle of May. They are most iDlentiful in May. 



74. Fifty pounds a day, with the hook. 



77. Caught more on the flood- tide. 



78. IS'ew York is the principal market. 



79. Good, fresh ; not usually salted. Eetains its excellence as a fresh 

 fish as long as any fish, after being caught. 



81. All that can be caught. 



84. Highest price by the quantity in l^ew York, this year, twelve 

 cents a pound. That is as much as they ever brought, and was for a lot 

 taken early. 



SQUETEAaUE. 



Come about the middle of June, and remain till about October. Gen- 

 erally caught in July. 



5. There have been more for the last four years than before, but not 

 so many this year as last. They are not very abundant. Have in- 

 creased within the last ten years. 



7. There were none ten years ago. 



8. Six pounds ; average three i)ounds. 



11. They come from the sea, and straggle along the coast looking after 

 food. They are not considered a running fish. I am confident they do 

 not spawn here. 



14. They make their first appearance in June. There is no difference 

 in the size of those that come first from that of those that come last. 



15. They leave by degrees, in small bodies. 



16. Not regular. 



17. The same. 



18. Xo spawn seen in them. 



19. They are an uncertain fish about biting, anyway. They are caught 

 in nets and traps before any are caught with the hook. 



20. Have not known any to be caught with hook within three weeks 

 of their arriving. 



21. Swim anywhere, at bottom or top, just where the bait is. They 

 attract birds, the same as the blue-fish when they come under a school 

 of small fish. 



22. They will venture into shallow water on the flood- tide. 



