94 
AMERICAN FISHES. 
The Northern Scup rarely passes the boundary of Cape Cod; in 1878, 
however, thirty-seven were taken at the Milk Island weir off Thatcher’s 
Island, Cape Ann, Mass., and they appear to be increasing in abundance. 
This species does not appear to be indigenous north of Cape Cod. 
Storer states that in the year 1831 or 1832 a smack-load of Scuppaugs 
arrived in Boston. A portion of them were purchased by subscription 
among the fishermen in the market and thrown into the harbor, and that 
in 1834 or 1835 Capt. Downes carried a smack-load from Vineyard Sound 
and threw them overboard in Plymouth Harbor. From i860 to 1867 
small numbers appeared north of Cape Cod, and were yearly captured at 
Wellfieet and Sandwich. 
Judging from the rare occurrence of the species thus introduced, it can 
hardly be considered to have become naturalized ; the few which have 
been taken were doubtless summer stragglers, although in 1878 over one 
hundred were taken at Capt. Webb’s weir on Milk Island. 
The life history of the Scuppaug has been thoroughly worked out by 
Prof. Baird, and from his paper published in the first volume of the report 
of the U. S. Fish Commission, the following life-history is compiled : 
“ It makes its appearance, at least in considerable quantity, on the 
coast of New England about the middle of May, although the advance- 
guard of very large fish arrive sometimes as early as the middle of April; 
and it is most abundant toward the 1st of June, and arrives in successive 
detachments or ‘ runs ’ differing in size, the smallest fish coming last. The 
first run on the southern coast of New England, as stated, takes place 
about the beginning of May, and consists of large breeding fish, weighing 
from two to four pounds, and measuring up to eighteen inches or more in 
length. The spawn is quite well developed at that time, and is said to be 
at first red, but gradually to become light yellow as it matures. The 
particular time and place, however, of laying the eggs is not yet known, 
although it is probable that this occurs early in June, since the schools are 
said to break up about the middle of that month, and the fish to scatter. 
It is thought probable that the spawning takes place in the eel-grass 
which covers the shoal water of Narragansett Bay and Vineyard Sound. 
“According to the fishermen generally, the Scup on first coming into 
the shores do not take the hook readily, being apparently too much occu¬ 
pied in the business of reproduction, and two weeks usually elapse before 
they can be caught in this way. They present themselves in large schools 
of immense extent, and moving very slowly, at about the rate of three 
miles an hour. From the testimony presented before the committe of 
investigation of the Rhode Island legislature, they appear to come from 
the south and west, as when they enter Narragansett Bay they strike the 
