BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 375 



current during the night evidently ran in a southwesterly direction, a» 

 is usually the case here, and it was found on the morning of the 5tb 

 that the ship had drifted considerably from her position on the previous 

 evening. Daring the day it was impossible to obtain observations, 

 owing t-o the dense fog, and the only thing that could be done to deter- 

 mine the ship's position was to " feel our way " with the lead around the 

 southeast prong of the bank. This was slow and unsatisfactory work, 

 for this part of Banquereau is not correctly laid down on the charts. 



Several dredgings were made on the 5th, but the bottom in this re- 

 gion is so rough that the only apparatus which could be used was the 

 ship's dredge or the tangles, and it was even thought unsafe to leave 

 the dredge on the bottom longer than 5 to 10 minutes. The catch 

 was exceedingly meager, generally consisting chiefly of coarse gravely 

 pebbles, or sand, with very little life of any kind. The dredgings up 

 to about 1.30 p. m. were made in depths varying from 116 to 265 fath- 

 oms. In the afternoon the ship steamed on to the shallower part of 

 the bank, and dredgings were made in depths varying from 33 to 39 

 fathoms. Practically the same result was obtained in these depths as 

 in the deeper water ofl' the edge of the bank, the contents of the dredge 

 being rather uninteresting. 



At station 2489 (latitude 44° 43', longitude 57° 22' 45"), in 33 fathoms 

 of water, we made the last dredging for the day, and among other things 

 brought up in the dredge were a few small bank-clams (Glycimeris) and 

 a large flounder. Hand-lines were put out baited with fresh capelin, 

 and fishing was carried on for an hour or more, during which time 

 33 cod and 5 or 6 flounders were taken. The cod were mostly of small 

 size, and their stomachs contained several young bank-clams, and in 

 one a specimen of lant was found. 



Soundings were made on Misaiue Bank early on the 6th, in 68 fath- 

 oms, at station 2491. The dredge was put out, but it brought up little 

 else besides stones. Three hand-lines were also tried, and in about 10 

 minutes' fishing we caught 3 cod and 1 flounder. 



At station 2492 (latitude 45^ 22', longitude 58° 43' 45"), in 42 fath- 

 oms, we found fish abundant, 10 or 12 cod of small size being taken 

 in a few minutes, of which 2 "pairs" were pulled up. The dredge 

 was put out and brought up a few shells and starfish, while crabs and 

 sea-urchins were abundant. Another haul was made with the dredge 

 at station 2493 (latitude 45^ 19', longitude 58^ 51' 15"), in 45 fathoms. 

 Considerable material was obtained here, consisting mostly of stones,, 

 shells, starfish, spiny crabs, sea-urchins, and sponges. Many bar- 

 nacles were found here on the stones, shells, &c. Eight hand-lines 

 were put out, and 2 codfish were taken in 10 minutes' fishing. 



At station 2494 (latitude 45° 14' 30", longitude 593 06' 45"), in 50 

 fathoms of water, 5 cod were taken on the lines. The tangles were 

 put out at this station and brought up many spiny sea-urchins, and 

 and also 1 or 2 basket starfish [Astroplujton). 



