336 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



tude 41° to 43° ; 12 sail, codfish, off Nova Scotia shore, latitude 43° to 

 43° 25', longitude 65° ; 250 sail, ground and swordfish fishing, off the 

 New England coast; 11 sail, halibut, off Greenland and Iceland; 6 

 steamers, taking whales, off the New England coast ; total, 1,033 sail, 6 

 steamers. 



Capt. J. W. Collins, assistant of United States Fish Commission, 

 having recently returned from a month's cruise to the eastern fishing 

 banks, on the United States Fish Commission steamer Albatross, makes 

 the following report, of special interest to the fisheries : Upwards of 

 2,000 fathoms were obtained in the position where Hope Bank (with a 

 depth of 45 fathoms) has been laid down on the chart. 



Researches about the eastern part of Banquereau proved that the 

 charts of that region are inaccurate. 



A series of trials with hand-lines was made on Misaine Bank, and 

 codfish were found there in as great abundance as on any of the adja- 

 cent fishing grounds. Heretofore this bank has not been frequented by 

 fishing vessels. 



Gloucester, Mass., August 12, 1885. 



116.— NOTES TAKEN DURING CRUISE OF THE ALBATROSS TO 

 GRAND RANKS IN JUNE AND JULY, 1S85. 



By WILLARD NYE, Jr. 



Trout. — There are two or three varieties in the clear freshwater ponds 

 of Newfoundland. The first is remarkably brilliant colored, and is com- 

 paratively longer, with a more pointed head. On first being taken from 

 the water its scales look as though made of silver and gold. The second 

 is more thickset, and much like our brook trout, except the red spots 

 are more irregular. This variety in Newfoundland is called mud -trout, 

 but I could see no reason for it other than its darker color. The fish- 

 ermen speak of a third variety, which is still darker. 



Sticklebacks.— These were taken from a spring pond at the top of Sig- 

 nal Hill, at an elevation of about 300 feet. These sticklebacks seem to 

 differ from those taken from brooks at the point where they empty into 

 the salt water. 



Whales, &c. — On July 13, twenty-four swordfish were counted from 

 the ship in four or five hours. Most of them were very large, only two 

 being small. Later in the afternoon finback whales were seen in all 

 directions. They seemed to be skimming up feed from the surface. 

 On examination, the water was found full of Copepoda; but a little after 

 sunset all this small life disappeared, and not one could be caught at 

 the surface. Several clots looking like blood were seen floating, and 

 some were obtained iu the net, which, on examination, were considered 

 excrement of finback whales, taking its color from the deep red of the 

 Copepoda. A school of large porpoises was with the finbacks, and seemed 

 to bo alter the same feed. 



New Bedford, Mass., August 10, 1885. 



