428 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
years, unless sooner removed. He may appoint deputy inspectors, removable at bis 
pleasure, in every town where lisli are packed for exportation. 
In Ebode Island “tbe electors in each town shall, annually, on their town election 
days, choose and elect * * one or more packers of fish.” 
In Connecticut “the superior court in the several counties may appoint in each 
town therein not exceeding 15 inspectors and packers of fish.” 
In each of these States the inspectors are required to give a bond for the faithful 
performance of their duties, the amount of the bond ranging from $10,000, in case of 
the inspector-general of Massachusetts, to $100 for the local inspectors in Connecticut. 
Their duties consist generally in inspecting and branding the fish salted under their 
supervision, and the fees are : In Maine, 7 cents jier barrel ; in New Hampshire and Mas- 
sachusetts, 9 cents, of which 1 cent per barrel goes to the inspector-general. In Ehode 
Island “the packers [inspectors] of fish shall be paid for opening, assorting, inspecting, 
weighing, pickling, packing or repacking, heading up, nailing, and giving a certificate, 
if pickled codfish or mackerel, 20 cents for every barrel, and 15 cents for every half- 
barrel * * * ■ and for all other, except codfish and mackerel, * * * 25 cents 
for every cask.” The Connecticut inspectors receive “ for packing, heading, plugging, 
X)ickling, and branding each barrel of fish 20 cents, and for each half barrel 10 cents.” 
While the foregoing are the fees fixed by law, yet generally, as there is no limit 
to the number of inspectors, each packing house has one as a member of the firm or 
employed in some capacity, so that the local fees are rarely paid. 
The inspection in Maine is made under the following provisions: 
Every inspector who inspects any kind of fish that are split or pickled for packing, shall see that 
they are in the first instance free from taint, rust, or damage, and well struck with salt or pickle; and 
such of said fish as are in good order and of good quality shall he pickled in tierces, barrels, half- 
harrels, quarter-harrels, and tenths of barrels, or kits; each tierce containing 300 pounds, each barrel 
200 pounds, and so on in that proportion ; and the same shall he packed in good clean coarse salt, 
sufficient for their preservation; and then each cask shall he headed up and filled with clear, strong 
pickle, and shall be branded by the iuspector with the name and quality of the fish therein. Mackerel 
of the best quality, not mutilated, measuring, when split, not less than 13 inches from the extremity 
of the head to the crotch or fork of the tail, free from taint, rust, or damage, shall he branded 
“number one”; the next best quality, being not less than 11 inches, measuring as aforesaid, free from 
taint, rust, or damage, shall he branded “number two”; those that remain after the above selection, 
free from taint or damage, and not less than 13 inches, measnring as aforesaid, shall he branded “num- 
ber three, large” ; those of the next inferior quality, free from taint or damage, not less than 10 inches, 
measured as aforesaid, shall he branded “number three”; all other mackerel, free from taint or 
damage, shall he branded “ number three, small.” The iuspector shall brand, in plain letters, on the head 
of every such cask, the weight, the initials of his Christian name, the whole of his surname, the name of 
his town, and the letters “Me.” an abridgment of the mouth and the year, in figures, when packed. 
Every inspector who inspects pickled alewives or herring, packed whole or round, shall see that 
they are struck with salt or pickle, and then put in good casks of the size and material aforesaid, 
packed closely therein and well salted, .and the casks filled with fish and salt, putting no more s<alt with 
the fish than is necessary for their preservation ; and the inspector shall brand all such cpsks with the 
name of the inspected fish as aforesaid, hut in no case shall the inspector brand the casks unless the fish 
contained therein shall have been packed and prepared under his immediate supervision. 
All tierces, barrels, and casks which are used for the purpose of packing pickled fish shall he 
made of sound, well-seasoned white oak, white ash, spruce, pine, chestnut, or poplar staves, with 
he.ading of either of such kinds of wood, sound, well planed and seasoned, and when of pine to he 
free of sap, aud the barrels to he hooped with at least three strong hoops on each bilge and three also 
on each chime; the barrel staves to he 28 inches in length, and the heads to be 17 inches between the 
chimes, and made in a workmanlike manner to hold pickle. 
If any person takes from a cask any fish i)ickled, cured, lawfully inspected and branded, and 
substitutes therefor or fraudulently intermixes other fish ; or any inspector marks any cask out of his 
town, or which he has not inspected, packed, and prepared himself according to law; permits other 
