33. Never have seen any that have died from sickness or disease. 34. The nets are made of cotton twine, and purse up at the bottom. 35. Nets are from 120 to 140 fathoms long, and from 10 to 15 fathoms deep, according to the depth of water where they are used.

36. Fast sailing sloops and sloop-yachts, of from 20 to 25 tons burden, for the men who find and capture the fish, and sloops (lighters) of from 15 to 30 tons burden to carry the fish away. On the coast of Maine steamers are used in place of the yachts and lighters.

37. Eleven men and two boys to each net. The boys assist on the lighters.

38. All day, from daylight to dark.

39. The tide makes no difference with them.

40. Sometimes it does; usually they are moving to the windward when on the surface.

41. We have 12 sloops, and 50 men employed on them; also from 15 to 25 men employed in each factory. If the fish come in plentifully, we increase our working forces.

42. The fish are taken directly after being caught to the factory, and placed immediately in large tanks, and boiled by steam until thoroughly cooked and the flesh will separate from the bones when taken out of the water. Some are made into sardines, which are pronounced the best in the market.

43. The George W. Miles Company have the two largest factories; these are in Connecticut or New York State. One is a floating factory, and is moved to the locality where the fish are most plentiful: the Welche's Point Oil Company, with one net and three sloops; Fowler and Colburn, of Guilford, two nets and 6 sloops.

44. The largest quantity of oil we ever made at one factory in any one year was in 1871; we then made 100,000 gallons in about 50 working days. The largest quantity in the shortest time was 21,000 gallons of oil in 72 hours, or 7,000 gallons per day of 24 hours. This unusual quantity of oil was owing to the fatness of the fish. We made in 1872 60,000 gallons of oil; in 1873, 105,000 gallons at the two factories, one factory not being in operation the whole season on account of the delay caused by lawsuits brought by some malicious and desiguing persons for purposes of gain. A part of the season was thus lost, and the quantity of oil was less than what it should be.

45. The capacity for oil is limited by the facilities for capturing the fish; the nets and vessels engaged must be the best, and the men with large experience are required to make the business successful.

46. Boilers cost from $2,000 to $4,000; two hydraulic presses, with curbs and fixtures, cost $2,000 each; engines, pumps, shafting, pulleys, &c., range from $10,000 to $50,000.

47. In 1873 the price for fish ranged from $1 to $2.50 per thousand, according to the yield of oil.

48. We have worked fish when they would not make over one gallon

per thousand and from that all the way to 18 gallons. The average yield is from 4 to 6 gallons per thousand. Some seasons the fish are so poor we can barely pay expenses. We then are obliged to pay low prices for fish-say from $1.25 to $1.50 per thousand. The fishermen at those prices cannot make day wages unless the fish are very plenty. The consequence is, when the fish are scarce the men leave the business, and the vessels have to lay up until other men can be found. This is one great drawback to the business, and many factories have been obliged to give up the business on account of it.

49. This all depends on the quality of the fish, whether fat or poor, and will vary from 10 to 150 gallons, and in some rare cases as high as 250 gallons to one ton.

50. This all depends on the quality of the fish. Some days a net will take fish that will make 15 gallons, and perhaps the next haul the fish taken might not make 5 gallons; but these extremes are rare, except late in the fall, when the fish are moving south and come together from different localities; then we are as liable to get poor fish as fat ones.

51. In this vicinity, during July, August, and September, we get the fish only that come into the sound for their feeding ground, and which fat after they get here. If they are poor, we have the largest catch in June and July. If they are increasing in fatness or yield of oil, we cannot capture them sucessfully until August and September. The fat fish in the sound are usually wild and hard to take until late; this may be owing somewhat to the fact that the feed is plentiful and low in the water. When we have an unusual dry season, so very dry that cress are almost a failure, then we are pretty sure of fat fish and an unusual quantity of jelly-fish floating on the water, which perhaps may be one source of supply of feed. On the other hand, in very wet seasons we find them below the average in yield of oil.

52. The northern fish always yield more than the southern. The fish appear here and farther north nine seasons out of ten "spring poor," as the farmer terms his cattle that have been exposed to the inclement weather and fed on coarse fodder; but after they get here, if their feed is plenty, they fatten very fast. This can be proved by the past season. During the months of May and June one million of fish would make only eight hundred gallons of oil; in August, the yield was from eight to ten gallons per thousand, and in September ten to twelve gallons per thousand.

54. The market for oil is principally in New York and Boston. The dealers in those cities have a very extensive trade all over this country, and large quantities are shipped to Europe.

55. The scrap is used very extensively in a raw state by the farmers and tobacco-growers of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Long Island, and New York State. It is a standard manure and fertilizer when used judiciously by those who understand how to use it. The principal market is with the superphosphate manufacturers. When

manufactured it is in a much better condition for use, and can be applied more evenly to the land and in much smaller quantities to the crops. without danger of burning. This is the greatest source of supply this country affords for a manure rich in ammonia, and it is worth more to this country than the islands that furnish us with Peruvian guano. In the season of 1873 there were landed in the cities of Charleston, S. C., and Savannah, Ga., alone 85,000 tons of superphosphate, nearly all of it having fish-scrap as its base.

56. The oil is used mostly by tanners and curriers; it is also used for outside painting.

57. Prices ranged in 1873 from 60 cents in April to 40 cents in August; then to 46 and 48 cents in September; then the panic burst upon the country and brought business to a stand-still. Prices for a few past years have ranged from 45 to 60 cents.

58. It is not possible nor in the power of man, with all the modern improvements at his command, to materially diminish their numbers. On the shores of Connecticut 88,200,000 fish, producing 8,820 tons of scrap, valued at $16 per ton in bulk at the factory, were caught, and 309,900 gallons of oil were made, bringing 45 cents per gallon. On the shores of Long Island 82,700,000 fish, producing 8,270 tons scrap, at $16 per ton, were caught, and 291,200 gallons of oil were made, bringing 45 cents per gallon.

The above is a correct statement, as near as possible, of all the fish caught on the shores, of Connecticut and Long Island during the season of 1872. Comparison with the previous year shows a decrease in the catch of fish of some 70,000,000, which would make, at the average yield of oil this year, 245,000 gallous, and about 7,000 tons of scrap. The decrease in the catch is readily explained: there were some six or eight manufacturers less than in 1871, some having stopped business on account of threats of lawsuits by malicious persons, who attempted to break up every honorable and profitable business.

Notwithstanding the decrease in catch of fish there were more seen in the waters, and those who persisted in catching from the beginning to the end of the season caught more than they did the previous year; in fact, fish were never more plentiful. It would seem, from the great quantity caught from year to year, that whitefish would soon be extinet; but it is a surprising fact that for the past few years they have been steadily increasing in numbers.

47. Statement of W. S. Havens, Collector of Customs, Sag Harbor, N. Y., January 1, 1875.

6. April; come in schools; largest in the fall.

7. Generally near the surface.

8. Come and go, south.

9. Some years they are a partial failure, but I do not know the cause. 10. Yes.

11. None perceptible.

12. In this district; Gardiner's Bay.

13. Swim near the surface.

14. Yes, they leave soon after cold weather.

15. Generally find them of the same size.

17. Leave in a body.

18. For the south.

20. On a mossy substance called bunker-feed. 21. In creeks, inlets, and rivers.

22. All go together.

23. Not discovered.

24. Moderately warm.

25. Various depths.

26. Think they settle to the bottom.

28. Rarely seen at all.

29. Believe not.

30. Sharks and bluefish devour them.

31. They are not found there.

32. To a great extent.

34. Purse nets.

35. Length, 150 fathoms; depth, 100 feet.

36. Sloops, and schooners of from 15 to 20 tons burden.

37. Nine men.

38. About three-fourths of the day.

39. No.

40. East winds break them up.

41. Sixty vessels and 540 men.

42. Used near by.

43. About 20. Wells, Parsons, Vail, Tuthill, and others.

44. Five hundred barrels to each factory.

45. From 1,000 to 1,500 barrels.

46. Steam and try-pots; from $5,000 to $10,000.

47. Say 30 cents.

48. 200 fish.

49. Some more, and some less.

50. One quart.

51. Four gallons to one barrel.

53. Say twenty years.

54. New York.

55. Southern States.

56. Painting and adulterating.

57. Fifty cents to $1.

58. No; if it does we do not notice it.

48. Statement of J. Morrison Raynor, Agent for Sterling Company, Greenport, December 20, 1877.

The number of gears and sail employed by us the past season was three, consisting of three yachts, six lighters or carry-away boats. The Swan, 24.64 tons; the Mary H. Sisson, 20.95 tons; the Dauntless, 19.70 tons; Titus, Bunker City, 8.64 tons; Rough and Ready, 10.24 tons; sloop Sarah, 10.39 tons; sloop Kate Romer, 9.83 tons; sloop Friendly, 13.37 tons; sloop John Marcy, 12.50 tons. Each gang consists of 8 men, 2 boys, 1 cook-making 9 men and 2 boys; total, 27 men and 8 boys. The men fish for a share and not for wages, except cook and boys hired by them. Use purse-seines; are about 125 to 150 fathoms long, 80 to 100 feet deep. The number of fish taken by them was 14,449,000.

49. Statement of Hawkins Brothers, Jamesport, N. Y., February 25, 1875.

1. Mossbunker or menhaden.

2. Much more numerous.

3. Cannot perceive any difference.

5. Cannot perceive that it does.

6. About the 1st of May, on the coast of Long Island. The first are usually the largest. The schools come in at intervals from the 1st of May to the last of August.

7. They swim both high and low, but usually the former, and make a ripple on the water, attracting fish-hawks only.

8. Come from the south, following the coast and stopping in the bays and sounds.

9. They are not regular but are certain, and are more plentiful in some localities and at some seasons than others.

10. From experience we think not.

11. Think they move toward the shore more on the flood than on the ebb tide.

12. In bays, sounds, and their entrances.

13. In all depths on the coast and in the bays.

14. It does.

15. Think not; we find no small fish in the spring of the year. I

believe these fish get their growth in one year.

16. Yes; from July to November, from one to six inches long.

17. Commence to leave in October by degrees.

18. Following the coast south.

21. In heads of bays in the spring.