THE RIVER FISHERIES OF MAINE. 673 
and its tributaries there was an abundant run of shad, salmon, and alewives into the river, which 
furnished profitable fisheries to the inhabitants. Curiously enough, at the junction of the two 
rivers, the salmon and the shad separated, the former, entering the colder waters of the western 
branch, penetrated as far up as its sources in the White Mountains, while the vast schools of shad 
and alewives turned into the warmer waters of the eastern branch, which they ascended each 
spring for the purpose of spawning. 
The fisheries of the Merrimac are at the present time insignificant, the entire product, accord- 
ing to the reports of the State fish commission, being only 2,139 shad, 32,400 alewives, and 3 
salmon. Subsequent to the erection of the Lawrence dam the run of salmon into this stream was 
entirely destroyed. Energetic efforts for the restoration of this fishery have, however, been made 
by the New Hampshire and Massachusetts State commissioners, with some prospect of success. 
The fish-way at Lawrence, over a dam some 27 feet high, has proved available for the ascent of 
salmon, which, in small numbers, have passed up it each season since its erection, and have thus 
been enabled to reach their spawning-grounds. It is probable that protective legislation in conjunc- 
tion with the measures above alluded to, and the erection of an efficient fish-way over the dams at 
Lawrence, Lowell, and Amoskeag will finally result in the restoration of these valuable fisheries. 
5. THE EXETER RIVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
During May and June ten weirs are employed in securing the alewives that come up the 
Piscataqua into the Exeter River. The average yearly catch is 2,500 barrels, but has fallen short 
the past two years. In 1879 it was about 2,000 barrels, and was disposed of at Portsmouth. There 
are forty men employed and $3,000 capital invested in the fisheries of those two towns. The fish- 
eries of the Piscataqua are discussed at the end of the next chapter. 
8.—THE RIVER FISHERIES OF MAINE. 
By ©. G. ATKINS. 
1. GEOGRAPHICAL AND CLIMATIC RELATIONS. 
The State of Maine, occupying the extreme northeast corner of the United States, lies between 
the parallels of 43° and 48° north latitude and the meridians of 67° and 71° 10’ longitude west 
from Greenwich. Its climate is variable, the thermometer moving sometimes through forty 
degrees of Fahrenheit’s scale within twenty four hours, changes of wind occurring frequently 
and suddenly, and the distribution of rainfall through the year being frequently irregular. 
The mean annual temperature averages 429.36 F. The mean of January, the coldest month, 
is 159.79, and of July, the warmest month, is 679.85. As extremes there occur almost every year 
maximums of over 90° and minimums of — 15° to — 359, 
The precipitation at Orono* has averaged 43.6 inches annually, including the snowfall, which 
had a mean annual depth of 92.96 inches and constituted about 44 per cent. of the total precipi- 
tation. Near the coast there is less snow and farther in the interior considerably more. The 
distribution through the year (deduced from the mean of sixteen years) is pretty even, the dryest 
month being June, with a mean of 3.06 inches, and the wettest, October, with a mean of 4.87 
* The generalizations of air, temperature, and rainfall are drawn Yom observations by President M. C. Fernald 
at the State College, Orono, This station is near the geographical center of the State. 
SEO. V: 43 
