BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 377 



{Fecten islaiidicus), Neptunea decemcostata, Mactrci ovalis, and Buccinum 

 undatum. There were also great numbers of spiny sea-urchins, a few 

 specimens of sea-corn {Bucciman eggs), and sea-strawberries or soft 

 coral. 



At station 2301 (latitude 44° 27', longitude GQo 20' 15"), in 2G fath- 

 oms of water, several hand-lines were put out, and 3 cod, 1 haddock, 

 and several sand-dabs were taken. The cod were gorged with food. 

 From one that weighed only 10 i)ounds I took 12 lant {Amniodytcs ameri- 

 canus), 1 spiny crab, and the fin of another cod. Another fish, which 

 weighed 7 pounds, had 8 lant and a small stone in its stomach. A 

 third cod, of about 5 pounds' weight, had 4 crabs in its stomach but 

 no fish. The ovaries and spermaries of these fish were undeveloped. 

 In the trawl at this station there was an abundance of sjind-dollars, 

 common starfish (Asterias vulgaris), twelve large sand-dabs or fer- 

 ruginous tiounders, 1 sculpin {Cotius), a few skate eggs, many live 

 and dead shells, among which were a few specimens of Naiica heros. 

 There were also several hermit-crabs. Two torpedoes were exploded 

 at the bottom near this station, but with no decisive result. 



At station 2502 the trawl was torn on rough bottom. It neverthe- 

 less contained manj- basket starfish {Astrophyton), some sponges, large 

 starfish, a few brittle-stars (ophiuraus), some spiny sea-urchins, her- 

 mit-crabs, small skates {Rata), sculpius (Cottus), and various kinds of 

 shells, among which were Pecten islandicus, Buccinum, and Neptunea. 

 A few shrimp were also taken. 



The bottom on the northwest prong was found to be rather rocky, 

 and at station 2503 (latitude 44^ 22' 30", longitude 61° 00' 15"), in 47 

 fathoms, the beam-trawl was torn to pieces, so that nothing was caught 

 in it. Medium -sized codfish appeared to be abundant, and in a few min- 

 utes' fishing with hand-lines 22 specimens were taken, 5 of which 

 were large fish. One of these cod had ovaries well advanced, but 

 the generative organs of the others were undeveloped. The stom- 

 achs of the fish were generally full of various kinds of material. One 

 had a partially digested herring and squid in its stomach, besides sev- 

 eral crabs more or less decomposed. It is evident that Crustacea, par- 

 ticularly spiny crabs, are most generally eaten by the cod in this region, 

 so far as can be judged from the contents of their stomachs. But some 

 fish had worms, others brittle-stars, shells, &c., mixed in their stomachs 

 with crabs or fish, while others had apparently nothing but fish. In 

 one we found 5 worms and 4 crabs, while another had 4 spiny crabs, 1 

 hermit-crab, and 3 brittle-stars in its stomach. 



At station 2504 the dredge came up filled with mud but containing 

 very little animal life, only a few worms and small shells ; while at 

 station 2505 the trawl contained several small skates, 3 craig flounders, 

 many large sea-anemones of 2 species, fragile sea-urchins {Schizaster 

 fragilis), starfish, worms, and small shells. 



