EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 45 



vicinity of Koank and Stonington, and Block Island and Newport. 

 Early in May, when the majority of the lobsters are usually caught, 

 the coast was swept by high easterly winds, causing heavy seas, which 

 interfered materially with fishing operations. In addition to this, 

 lobsters were scarcer than ever before in the history of the fishery, 

 and in many localities operations were abandoned entirely and the 

 fishermen engaged in other pursuits. This was particularly noticeable 

 at Noank and Block Island. At the former place, where there are 

 usually 40 fishermen, only 10 set pots, and even these discontinued 

 work on June 9, on account of the poor results attained and loss of 

 gear. At Block Island the conditions were even worse; where 15 or 

 20 men usually engaged in this fishery, onlj^ one set pots this year, 

 -and he abandoned them later to go cod-fishi'^ag. The same condi- 

 tions existed to a certain extent at New Bedford, Buzzards Bay, and 

 elsewhere. From New Bedford, which lias been in tlie past one of the 

 most productive fields, and wiiich yielded last year 347 egg-lobsters, 

 only 26 were secured. The season closed on June 27, the take amount- 

 ing to 28,142,000 eggs, from which 22,463,000 fry were hatched and 

 planted or turned over to Dr. H. C. Bumpus for experiment, with the 

 view to feeding them in pens until after the fourth molting. 



During the summer all of the buildings were painted inside and out, 

 the old plumbing in the residence was replaced with new, and the 

 whole system of water-pipes was overhauled. In many instances the 

 old pipes, which had been in use for a number of years, were so badly 

 corroded that more than three-fourths of the opening was closed. 

 In the hatchery and laboratory a number of additional bedrooms 

 were provided. Work on the wharf commenced in the fall, but it was 

 not completed owing to lack of funds. The old boiler and engine in 

 the launch Blue Wing were condemned and new machinery installed, 

 the main boiler being also repaired and the old tubes removed. The 

 engines in the launch Cygnet were also overhauled and repaired. 



Gloucester Station, Massachusetts (C. G. Corliss, Superintendent). 



Operations at this station were confined to cod and lobsters. During 

 tl;ie summer no fish-cultural work was in progress, but the station force 

 was fully occupied in making repairs to the buildings and getting the 

 hatching apparatus ready for fall work. The old wharf, which had 

 been practically destroyed by the storms of the previous winter, was 

 removed and a new one 155 feet long by 16 feet wide, with a T at the 

 outer end 42 feet by 16 feet, was constructed, in accordance with plans 

 prepared by the architect of the Commission. As soon as it was fin- 

 ished the suction box, which extends from the hatchery to the end of 

 the wharf, was rejjlaced and the suction pipe laid into it, packed in 

 sawdust to prevent its freezing in winter. 



By November 15 the station was in thorough order, but no eggs 

 were received until the latter i^art of the month, when Cajjtain Hahn 

 with the crew of the G-rampus commenced collections at Kittery. At 



