238 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Island about 15 miles. At the time he took his fish there were eighteen 
other fishing vessels present, of which twelve secured fares. The mack- 
erel ranged from 10 to 13 inches in length. 
Captain Thomas, of the schooner Mary H. Thomas , informed me 
that he was among the fleet on May 27, and secured two schools of 
mackerel and ale wives mixed. I learned from Captain Harty, of the 
schooner J. J. Merritt , that about 40 miles southeast \ south from Block 
Island he saw twelve schools of fish, but did not attempt to take them 
no account of threatening weather. He also said that he had recently 
marketed a catch of 194 barrels of salt and 125 barrels of fresh mack- 
erel, which he caught on May 21 and 22 while cruising from south- 
east of Barnegat to southeast of the light-ship off Sandy Hook. There 
seemed to be a large body of fish, which, he thought, were working to 
the northward. 
The low barometer and threatening weather continued throughout 
the whole of the 29th. 
Got under way at 5 a. m. on May 30 and headed to sea, accompanied 
by fifteen sail of the fishing fleet, the wind at that time being moderate 
irom north-northeast. Put out the small towing-net when outside of 
the harbor, and secured a large amount of fish eggs. Young pollock, 
hake, and lumpfish were abundant. At 1 p. m. the wind was from the 
south and the vessel heading southeast, close hauled on starboard tack. 
About this time the lookout at the mast-head reported one of the ac- 
companying vessels dropping her seine-boat for fish. 
At 1.30 p. mi. saw six schools of fish, and worked up near them and 
threw “ toll-bait,” hoping to determine the species by this means. Posi- 
tion, lat. 41° IT N., long. 71° 09' W. Later we hoisted out a dory and 
sent two men to ascertain the species. They reported ale wives at the 
surface, but thought it probable that mackerel were mixed with them. 
Subsequently we saw several schools of fish swimming with their heads 
out of the water, which we thought to b(3 mackerel. Sent two men in 
a dory equipped with hand-lines and “toll-bait,” and instructed them 
to throw bait in the center of the schools and secure as many specimens 
as possible. They were unsuccessful, however. This position was about 
10 miles west-southwest from Gay Head. We used the towing net 
here and got a lot of small Crustacea, such as is usually called “seed,” 
or “mackerel feed,” by the fishermen. At 7 p. in., when about 9 miles 
southwest J west of No Man’s Land, we put out the large towing-net for 
thirty minutes, and secured five young hake. The vessel was hove to 
for the night at 7.35 p. m. During the day we noticed that a large por- 
tion of the fleet had their jibs down and seine-boats out, which indicated 
that fish had been captured. 
In the early morning of May 31 the weather was foggy, with an east- 
erly wind, which increased to a fresh breeze at daylight. At 5 a. m. the 
fog cleared, and soon after we filled away, steering northeast £ north, 
for Vineyard Sound. 
Having received orders directing me to report at Wood’s Holl on or 
