238 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



"between Josselyn's time, 1672, (or even 1659, according to Macy,) and 

 1764, I am at present unable to. say. According to Captain Pease, 

 they were known about Edgartown at the end of the hist century. As 

 already stated, Dr. Mitchell speaks of their first making their appear- 

 ance about New York in 1810. They are noted as having been seen in 

 Vineyard Sound again as early as 1820. It would therefore appear that 

 they were in such small numbers about New York in 1810 that the 

 young only were noticed flocking about the wharves, and that in ten 

 years they were observed as far east as jSTantucket, where the specimens 

 seen, from 1824 to 1826, were very small, not over 4 inches. The next 

 year they measured 7, and the third year 10 inches, according to the tes- 

 timony of one witness, although this does not represent, in all proba- 

 bility, the rate of growth. 



According to Captain Burgess, of Monument, Massachusetts, they 

 wxre caught about Nantucket in 1825, and were very abundant in 1830. 

 Dr. Storer states the first blue-fish recorded as having been noticed in 

 the present century, north of Cape Cod, was captured on the 25th of 

 October, 1837. Captain Atwood remarks that in 1838 he saw blue-fish 

 for the first time about Provincetown. These were very small, the 

 largest weighing only 2 pounds. In a few years, however, thej^ became 

 larger and more numerous, and finally increased to such an extent as to 

 exercise a very marked influence upon the fisheries. According to the 

 captain, (Proceedings of Boston Society of Natural History, 1863, p. 189,) 

 they arrive in Massachusetts Bay in a body, coming at once, so as to 

 almost fill the harbor at Provincetown. On one year they came in ou 

 the 22d of June, and although the day before eight thousand mackerel 

 were taken, the day after not one was seen or captured. He says that 

 they leave about the last of September, with the first cold northeasterly 

 storm, although stragglers are taken as late as December at Proviuce- 

 town. 



According to Messrs. Marchant and Peter Sinclair, of Gloucester, 

 (October, 1872,) blue-fish made their first appearance in numbers about 

 Cape Ann tweuty-five years ago, coming in great force and driving- 

 out all other fish. They are now much scarcer than twenty years ago j 

 about the same as tautog^ some seasons scarcely noticed. 



Mr. J. C. Parker, an aged gentleman of Falmouth, says the first blue- 

 fish seen at Wood's Hole in this century was taken in July, 1831 ; but 

 his father informed him that they were abundant in the preceding cen- 

 tury, about 1780 or 1790, at which time they disappeared j and that when 

 the blue-fish left, the scup first made their appearance. 



They are also noted as having shown themselves at the head of Buz- 

 zard's Bay in 1830 and 1831, and although numerous, were of small size, 

 measuring about a foot in length. 



To sum up the evidence, therefore, in regard to the periodical appear- 

 ance of the blue-fish, we find notice of its occurrence in 1672, or even 

 1659, and up to 1764. How long it existed in the waters prior to that 

 date cannot now be determined. The oral testimony of Mr. Parker re- 

 fers to its occurrence at Wood's Hole in 1780 or 1790; and it is men- 

 tioned as being at Newport in 1800, (Mr. Smith, p. 20,) and at Edgartown, 

 Massachusetts, about the same time, (Captain Pease, p. 39), Mitchell 

 testifies to its oc^ciurrence in New York, of very small size, in 1810 ; and 

 it is recorded as existing again at Nantucket in 1820, and about Wood's 

 Hole and P>uzzard's Bay in 1830 to 1831; and a little later at Hyannis. 

 In 1830 it had become abundant about Nantucket, and in the fall of 1837 

 it was first notuH'd in IMassachusetts Bay ; and then year by year it be- 

 came more and more numerous, until now it is very abundant. Several 



