INVESTIGATIOX? OF THE ALBATROSS. 5 



The seal-killing- over, we returned on board and i>ot under way imme- 

 diately for a dredging tri]). Five hauls of the beam trawl were made 

 off the south and west sides of the island, in depths ranging from 20 to 

 51 fathoms, bottom of fine gray or black sand and shells; a few pebbles 

 were found at some stations, and a trace of black mud at others. 



The general character of liie was much the same in all of the hauls, 

 and while but few individuals of each kind were taken, the variety of 

 species was comparatively large. Au exception should be made, how- 

 ever, in the case of starfishes and ophiurans, the former being quite 

 plentiful, and the latter coming up by the bushel in most of the hauls. 



The catch for the day may be summarized as follows: Small pollock 

 (one specimen); young coil, tomcod, young sculpins, eels, Lycodes and 

 Agonidcv (a iew specimens each); flounders {Limanda asjjera, few, and 

 Lepidoiisetta hiUneata, one) ; crabs, hermit crabs, shrimps, prawns, and 

 pycnogonids ; annelids; mollusks of several species, including naked 

 mollusks and a hir^o Tropho7i; ascidians andbryozoans; holothui-iaus, 

 sea-urchins, starfishes, and ophiurans; medusre, hydroids, and sponges. 



Xothing was taken with the hand lines, though they were tried at 

 several stations. The natives report that cod and halibut frequent the 

 waters about the island during the winter and early spring, but the 

 former become scarce soon after the seals arri^-e and only a few of the 

 latter remain during the summei-. Neither of these species is ever 

 taken in large numbers. It is a well-known fact that feeding seals go 

 farther and farther from the islands in search of food as the season 

 advances, until in the latter part of July they reach the vicinity of the 

 100-fathom line south and west of tlie Pribilofs, from 50 to 100 miles 

 and more from their rookeries. 



After finishing the biological explorations for the day, several hydro- 

 graphic soundings were made off the western extremity of the island, 

 and an excellent anchorage for the night was found in 8 fathoms to the 

 westward of (.'ross Hill, near ]S"ortheast Point. The revenue cutter 

 Eitsh passed the night there also. A number of sea-lion skins were 

 procured the next day for specimens, and in the afternoon we returne<l 

 to our former anchorage at Village Cove. 



On the morning of Aug'ust 5 the U. S. commissioners. Prof. T. (\ Men- 

 denhall and Dr. G. Hart Merriam, came onboard, accompanied by the 

 British commissioners. Sir George Baden-Powell and Dr. George M. 

 ^Dawson, with a stenographer and interpreter, to visit tlie Xortheast 

 Point rookery. They were landed on the east side of tlie point near 

 Cross Hill, wlierethey were joined by Mr. G. P. Tingle, general agent 

 for the North American Commercial ('Ompany, Mr. -J. C, Pedpath, and 

 Mr. Fov.ler, employes of the company, who acted as guides. Mr. Fowler 

 was in charge of the rookery. 



Tiiis rookery is the largest in the world, and the view from the sum- 

 mit of Hutchinson's Hill is simply astounding. Yet the evidences of 

 diminution in numbers are unmistakable. 



