308 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



ated not the least trace of food was found, and I am at a loss to know 

 why species so voracious as the hake, whiting, and others, which we 

 took, should be found in a locality where there is evidently little food 

 to be obtained. 



The scarcity of sea-birds might be cited as an indication of a limited 

 amount of small fishes, or other forms near the surface. However, an 

 occasional hag (Puffimis) was seen, and several varieties of jaegers, 

 which appeared more commou in this region than other forms. 



At 1 o'clock p. m. we kept otf and ran to the westward 15 miles by 

 the log.* At 3.45 p. m. we sounded, and having got a depth of only 

 50 fathoms, let the vessel jog under mainsail and jib, on the port tack, 

 slowly head-reaching to the southward. At sunset there was less wind 

 and occasional light showers. By the exercise of much care, and sound- 

 ing frequently during the night, the vessel was kept on the edge of the 

 ground so closely that at 5 o'clock on Saturday morning, the 23d, we 

 were in 150 fathoms. At this time there was a moderate S. S. E. breeze, 

 but considerable ground swell, which increased somewhat later in the 

 day. The sky was overcast with broken clouds, though there was no 

 appearance of thick weather. 



All the men were called to bait the trawls at dawn. Being anxious 

 to make two sets during the day, and knowing that we could not if we 

 set two trawls at once, we baited only one string— a thousand hooks — 

 which we set between 8 aud 9 o'clock a. m. in from 100 to 125 fathoms; 

 latitude 39° 54/ north, longitude 71° 22' west. After the trawl was 

 set we left one of the dories fast to the lee end, since the ground swell 

 rendered it difficult to see a buoy flag any distance. TVe began haul- 

 ing the gear at 11 o'clock, a dory going to each end of the trawl, and 

 shortly after noon the men had finished the work. But little was taken 

 on this haul — "Lot No. 4" — it consisting of a few hake, three dogfish 

 (Squalus) and a few invertebrates on the trawl, and nearly a bucket 

 full of slime eels (Myxine), and a single crab in the lobster pot, which 

 we had fastened near one of the anchors. 



As soon as we had finished hauling we kept off southwest by west 

 and ran a little over 5 miles on that course, when, having got a depth 

 of 110 fathoms, we set one of the trawls, which we had baited during 

 the forenoon while the first one was out. The position of this set was, 

 latitude, 39° 50' north; longitude, 71° 25' west. The trawl was hauled 

 at 4.30 p. m., by three men, who went in one of the dories. This was 

 necessary, as one of the crew was ill, and also because at this time the 

 increasing wind and sea made the hauling of thfc trawl a matter of some 

 difficulty for two men to accomplish. The catch, which contained noth- 

 ing of interest, consisted of about thirty hake, and a single specimen each 

 of dogfish (Sqnahi.s) and monkfish (Lophius), all of which we iced. 



*I take this occasion t<> mention that the captain of the yacht "Madeline," which 

 lav in winter quarters at Greenport, kindly lent us the yacht's patent log, which wo 

 found very serviceable. The log was returned through Captain Redmond, with a 

 letter of thanks and acknowledgment of the favor conferred. 



