86 



THE SCALLOP FISHERY 



The 1907 set was peculiar in showing a much slower growth than the 

 previous sets. This was due to the partial closure of the entrance to 

 the Powder Hole during the summers of 1907 and 1908, which deprived 

 the scallops of the circulation of water which they formerly had. This 

 peculiar set has already been discussed in connection with the length of 

 life of the scallop, as nearly all reached the age of twenty-seven months. 



Comparison with Rhode Island. — A comparison of the rate of growth 

 of the different sections in Massachusetts with the Narragansett Bay 

 scallops shows that the average Massachusetts scallop is much smaller 

 and less rapid in growth than its neighbor, except in the Buzzard's Bay 

 section, where the conditions more nearly approximate Narragansett 

 Bay. This difference is probably due to the warmer water, which per- 

 mits earlier spawning and more rapid growth. The Rhode Island 

 figures in the following table are taken from the report of Jonathan 

 Risser (2) in the Rhode Island Commission of Inland Fisheries, 1904: — 



