204 REPOET ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1886. 



of Cape Hatteras, ou the eastern coast. The collections from the Pa- 

 cific coast of tbe United States and from Alaska and other uortheru 

 regions were accordingly sent to liim at the Museum of Comparative 

 Zoology, Cambridge, and at the close of the year be bad nearly com- 

 pleted bis work upon them. Witb Mr. Lyman's assistance it will be 

 possible soon to place this group in as complete order as tbe ecbini. 



EXPLORATIONS. 



Tbe steamer Albatross, Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. Navy, 

 commandiug, continued in service during a large part of tbe year, and 

 accomplished very important results for the fisheries and for natural 

 history, as well as in matters of special bydrographic interest. The 

 permanent naturalists were Mr. James E. Benedict and Mr. Thomas 

 Lee, but Mr. Sanderson Smith also accompanied the steamer on all its 

 trips during tbe summer and fall, and Mr. Willard Nye, jr., Mr. 0. H. 

 Townsend, and Mr. F. Wasbburn participated in tbe spring cruise to 

 tbe Bahama region. 



Tbe Albatross left Newport, E. I., June 17, 1885, on its first cruise to 

 tbe fishing-grounds oft" the coast of tbe maritime provinces. Tbe myth- 

 ical Hope Bank of the fishermen, said to be located in about latitude 

 41° N., longitude 04° W., was the first objective point, and considerable 

 time was spent in making soundings in its supposed position. The 

 average depths observed were about 1,900 or 2,000 fathoms, with no 

 indications of shoal water. Farther to the eastward several reported 

 dangers, such as Watson's, Hamilton's, Daraith's, and Akett's, lo- 

 cated between latitudes 40° and 41° N., and longitude about 55° W., 

 were also investigated without obtaining other than very deep sound- 

 ings. From this point tbe Albatross steamed to tbe southern j^art of 

 the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, where dredging and fishing were 

 begun. A bne of twenty-nine stations was run along tbe eastern side 

 of tbe bank, terminating near the Vifgiu Eocks. Tbe depths ranged 

 from 33 to 826 fathoms, and tbe work covered all characters of bottom 

 occurring in that region. After spending a few days in tbe harbor of 

 St. John's, tlie steamer started westward on July 2, making four dredg- 

 ings during the first day out between the southeastern coast of New- 

 foundland and the Grand Bank, in depths of 86 to 89 fathoms. Thence 

 the cruise extended over Green and St. Peter's Banks, where the depths 

 were all less than 36 fathoms, to the channel between St. Peter's and 

 Banquereau, in depths of 114 to 265 fathoms, and the eastern edge of 

 Banquereau, in depths of 33 to 39 fathoms. 



Misaino Bank, off Nova Scotia, was next visited, and a line of dredg- 

 ing and fishing stations was made across it from east to west. This 

 shoal water had been previously regarded by American fishermen as 

 comparatively barren, but tbe investigations of tbe Albatross showed 

 it to be an important feeding-ground for cod, large numbers of which 

 were captured with book and line. These explorations were continued 



