The Republican journal., 1885-01-08
Fish and Fishing.
AN INTERESTING VOLUME FROM THE U. 8. FISH


AN INTERESTING VOLUME FROM THE U. 8. FISH
COMMISSION.
In accordance with joint resolution of Con-
gress the Public Printer has published volume
of matter furnished him by Professor Spencer
+. Baird, United States Commissioner of Fish
and Fisheries, relative to new observations,
discoveries and applications connected with fish
culture and the fisheries. The volume consists
of reports and contributions from over two
hundred sources, both official and non-official,
giving vast number of interesting details con-
corning the progress of fish culture in all Sec
tons of the United States and in foreign coun-
tries; transfer of certain kinds of fish, such as
shad and salmon, from one stream to another,
and in regard to the fishing interests generally.
Relative to the oyster industry Of the world
it is said that about five and half billion oys-
and third billion in Europe. As to the future
needs of the oyster interest of this country
Lieutenant Winslow says:
The area of the great beds of the Chesapeake
and Delaware bays is 471,1T1 acres, and the
product per acre was in 1880 f0rty-one bushels.
At present it is certainly not more than twenty
the same rate the result is too evident to need
comment. That remedial measures should be
taken is an imperative necessity.
LOSS OF LIFE AND VESSELS.
OF the loss of life in the New England fish
cries Captain j. w. Collins says:
In the ten years from 1873 the total loss of
vessels has been 14T, of which number 81 have
foundered at sea- 7 of the latter having been
abandoned in sinking condition. The total
value of these vessels was Sl35, l26. The total
loss of life has been ,233 men, S95 of whom
went down in their vessels, which foundered at
sea. 1t is a little difficult to get at the exact
number of bereaved families which lost their
natural protectors since for one or two years OF
the period under consideration accurate record
was not kept of the widows and fatheres>
children left by these disasters at sea- and, even
If it had been, ii would not show how many
almost helpless parents have been deprived OF
their only means Of support AS near AS can
get at it, making what | believe to be an under
estimate for the years of which | can obtain no
statistics of the widows and children left, 32-
women have been made widows and sos child
rem left fatherless by the disasters to the Glou-
cester fleet alone. Many of these families have
been left in utter destitution.
| FISH STORIES TULD-THE UNICORN.
Among the fish stories recorded in this vol
ume l.. B. Crocker, an internal revenue collect
| OF AT Aurora, ILL. reports lne Gatcnlng OF
small mouthed black bass in the Fox River
twenty-three inches i'll length and weighing
| seven pounds and six ounces.
Professor Richard A. Proctor furnishes al
account of the discovery of a marine monster
and revives the New England description of the
''sea serpent" He says:
While the boats of Captain Seymour's bari
fk.aN fnt,t rI.IlA
| Pearl Islands between forty and fifty mile
| from Panama. the water broke short distance
away, and Captain Seymour made ready for
whale, but head like that of horse rose from
the water and then Owed. The creature wa
seen by all the boats crew. Captain Seymou
describes the animal as almost twenty feet il
length, with handsome horse-like head. witt
TWO unicorn shaped horns protruding from it
| The creature had four legs or double iointe'
tins, brown>h hide. profusely speckled witt
large, black spots, and IA tail which appeared t.
be divided into parts. The creature was see
on two different days, and if whales had 10
been about at the time an effort would hay
been made to catch it. Captain Seymour an
his officers agree in considering that the Great
ure is peculiar 10 the locality, and that it cou
| easily be killed with lances and guns. 1t is in
portant to no ice that officers of the Pacific Ma
Company state that they have seen the anima
4 on several occasions, but not 50 closely as dl
the officers and men on the Hope On.