_Cotuit._--In the report of Mr. Ingersoll we find no mention of scalloping at Cotuit. Either there was none in 1879, or it was too small to be of any importance. To-day the scalloping is of slight importance, and practically all is used for home trade. Undoubtedly there has been but little change in the past twenty-five years. Side by side with the pigmy scallop industry has grown the oyster industry, which has made Cotuit famous. Undoubtedly the latter has sapped the strength of the former by encroaching on its area; but it has always been for the best interests of the people, as the oyster industry here is far more valuable than the scallop fishery. The grounds of Cotuit are quite small, extending over an irregular strip of 100 acres. The bottom is mostly muddy, and covered with patches of eel grass. All the rest of the bay, where the bottom is more suited for oyster culture, is taken up by grants. This scalloping area, although small, is free to the scallopers of Osterville, Cotuit, Marston's Mills and Hyannis, and even where heavily set it is soon fished out. In the years previous to 1904-05 exceptionally fine scalloping had been reported by the fishermen. The season of 1904-05 was exceptionally poor, and in 1905-06 hardly any scallops were obtainable. In 1907 scalloping began October 1, and by December 15 all the boats were hauled up, as the scallops became too scarce for profitable fishing. Dredging is the only important method employed in the Cotuit fishery, although a few scallops were picked up on the flats. A town law forbidding the capture of scallops for market before December 1 was passed in 1899. This, nevertheless, permitted any resident of Barnstable, between October 1 and December 1, to catch scallops for his family use, and for this reason could never be strictly enforced. In 1907 this law was repealed, as many believed that it was detrimental rather than helpful to the Cotuit interests, as it gave the Hyannis scallopers, after they had fished for two months in Hyannis Bay, the cream of the Cotuit fishery. SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY. ============+=======+=================+=======+====================== | Number| BOATS. | Value | PRODUCTION, 1907-08. TOWN. | of +--------+--------+ of +----------+----------- | Men. | Value. | Number.| Gear. | Gallons. | Value. ------------+-------+--------+--------+-------+----------+----------- Hyannis, | 16 | $3,200 | 8 | $200 | 1,130 | $1,480 Hyannisport,| 14 | 2,800 | 7 | 200 | 100 | 131 Cotuit, | 9 | 2,000 | 8 | 175 | 300 | 393 ------------+-------+--------+--------+-------+----------+----------- Total, | 39 | $8,000 | 23 | $575 | 1,530 | $2,004 ============+=======+========+========+=======+==========+=========== _Bourne._