80 EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHEEIES. 



when they do not destroy tliem, and following up schools of them to 

 prey upon them. 



SCTJP OE POEGY. 



That these fish first appeared in these waters the latter part of the 

 last century, seems confirmed by all our traditions of them. The first 

 caught being exhibited as a new and unrecognized wonder of the deep, 

 leads us to infer that if ever before they had been here it was too long 

 before that to be remembered by the men of that day. At least they 

 have left us no tradition of their presence here before that time. 



It appears that they came here in small numbers, but, favored by cer- 

 tain conditions, they multiplied until they became the most numerous 

 of all our edible fish. If we study the conditions under which they then 

 increased, we may arrive at a correct solution of the question of the 

 cause of the present increase. Here we fail to obtain information that 

 is wholly satisfactory ; but it is certain that about the time scup first 

 appeared, horse-mackerel (blue-fish) and squeteague disappeared; and 

 during their absence scup increased to their greatest number ; but at 

 the increase of the former they again decreased. Therefore we conclude 

 that the increase of the one is in proportion to the decrease of the other, 

 and also contingent upon the same. 



The present season gives us a new phenomenon, corroborative of this 

 inference, the appearance of small-fry of scup in myriads directly after 

 the great run of scup ; first, outside, three or four weeks later at the 

 lower waters in the bay ; and the late appearance and small number of 

 horse-mackerel. These latter seem to have chosen another field for 

 their operations, and allowed these small scup to escape the destruction 

 that has so commonly been their fate. 



In former years scup migrated to our coast about the middle of 

 April, and then appeared to be plentiful all over the bay. For ten years 

 to the present time they have not favored us with their presence until 

 nearly a month later, and then they came in less numbers, and were scat- 

 tering in the bay. What connection there is in their late coming and 

 apparent consequent small numbers does not appear ; but fishermen 

 have a theory that the time and number depend much on the weather, 

 warm southerly winds being most favorable. , How far the adverse 

 weather may have operated to keep them back in their migrations to 

 our coast, until the horse-mackerel and squeteague have marshaled 

 their hosts and cut them off, we know not. 



TEAPS YS. SCUP. 



It is said that traps destroy this fish while seeking an entrance to the 

 bay to deposit their spawn ; and this is insisted upon, notwithstanding 

 the traps catch only one way, i. e., when the fish are going out. But 

 if this is true, and the trappers by some legerdemain turn their heads 

 down stream and capture them, what can be said about the spawn, 

 when, as at the present season, precocious little fellows, two or three 

 months old, come paddling their own canoe directly after their fathers 

 and mothers, and fill our waters with their young lile ? It certainly 

 seems to settle the question conclusively that we do not depend upon 

 the product of our own waters for supplies. And is it not a little sin- 

 gular that objections should be made to the capture of fish while in 

 spawn, when the legislative authorities, in one of the most enlightened 

 States of the Union, passed a law to prevent their being sold at any other 

 time than when in spawn, as being then, and only then, fit for food ? 



