Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-17
THE CHESAPEAKE AND POTOMAC
EISHERIES.
The U. 8. Fish C0mmissiOn-The ssLOOIk.
Our'-The Despiscd bug Eish-The
Senate Committee, Etc.
pondence Of TIE EVENING STAR.


OLD POINT COMFORT, Va, Oct Is, 1888.
The schooner-rigged steam yacht, the Look
out, OF the U. 8. fish commission, enlivens the
Roads just now. 1t is a pert and lively looking
craft, that moves with the ease and grace of
race-horse. During the spring and the early sum-
mer 1t is utilized in Matching shad and other
fishes. and oysters, and in the full bloom of
summer carries on Investigations that are fur
ther pursued by the Albatross and Fish Hawk
in open sea.
The arrival of the Lookout was followed by
that of Senator Lapham and subcommittee
OF the committee on foreign relations of which
he is chairman. appointed to inquire into the
CONDITION of the menhaden fisheries on the At
lantic coast.
To the jewellers on the Chesapeake bay it
seemed at first an undue promotion of the de-
splsed little fish known as the Bug fish. whose
capturels rather avoided than sought by the gen.
eral fisherman. And although not esteemed
Tor f0Od, avery large fleet OfschOOners. hundreds
by the hundreds, whose sails constantly whiten
its waters. are engaged the entire summer sea-
son in their capture. The oil IS highly esteemed,
and extensively used in tanning. The scraps
are valuable as a component part Of fertilizers.
nounced to the olfactories of the Traveller in
passing the trains laden with these compounds.
The testimony elected. and the Investigations
made by Senator Lapham and his cOnfreras,
vestigations of the last two years, prosecuted
from Cape May, on the Jersey coast, to the
shores Of Maine The millions of capital
and the thousands OF men en-
ployed in these fisheries have raised
Bug fish sufficiently in the estimation of Con-
gress to give it the dignity of Senatorial inves
tigation. And this investigation will no doubt
develop many interesting facts as to the migra-
ton and uses OF this once abundant fish. The
session Of the committee will extend over ten
fhfNl loo 1l;or; nof
the bay will certainly repay them for the long
stay.
The resolution under which the Investigation
was inaugurated prov .ded for the cooperation
OF the fish commission in the work, and they
were aided in their Investigation, prior to this
summer. by Professor Baird and Major Fergu-
son. But as it was arranged that Major Fergu-
son was to visit Europe for the purpose of at
tending the London exhibition, for further in
curry in the oyster culture. as prosecuted on
the coasts of England and France. he designated
Mr.. Marshall Mcdonald, one of his assistants. to
represent the commission before the commit
tee.
The party will visit several of the factories on
the Chesapeake bay, on both sides, and hold ses-
sions at the HyGeia. They are under the guild
ance Of Mr.. Sneed, the assistant Sergeant-at-
Arms of the Senate. Apropos of the advent OF
the Lookout We are led to hope that the Fish
hawk will resume her cruises in these waters,
now that she is as lin fit for duty, having
the carelessnes of her commander, and injuring
herself to the extent costing the commission
quite sum to set her aflOat once more.
The AlbatrOss will make her winter sortes
into the deep waters of the South Atlantic
coast from this point, and will continue to
pursue the Investigations which have proved so
fruitful in her summer cruises Off New England.
1t is highly probable that she will add to the
twenty newly discovered varieties of fish as
many more in the southern types. Some of
these remarkable specimen OF fish have been
brought to light from the depth of $4,000 feet,
for it is asserted that the Albatross has made
captures in this depth, astounding as it may
seem. and attained the prestige of having made
the deepest and most successful dredging on
record.
Will our naturalist give US theory that will
lead to the explanation of the unnaturaly huge
heads and teeth with which these creatures.
that live and move and have their being so far
below the struggles and turmOils OF this life are
invested? Is it that it requires more head and
cheek to exist in their world than ours?
We will here repeat a fish story, yOuched for
by no less celebrated an chthyoogst than Prof
Gill. Among the strange fish brought from be-
meath the mighty deep by the Albatross, there
is one, not very large, that amuses itself after
the matinal meal by swallowing fish three times
its own size as an appetizer for dinner, and I'M
like the frog OF the fable that tried to entend it.
self into an OK, it does not boast Such is the
curiosity OF your correspondent and others to
behold this curious freak of nature, and witness
the vOraciOus repast, that we with many will
be induced to visit the National Museum as
soon as this specimen is brought there from
Woods Holl, where it appears it now is
WANDA.