10 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



lines were put over, but the current was too strong to admit of tlieir 

 being used successfully. The trawls was out but a few minutes when 

 the buoys disappeared, one bj^ one, beneath the surfjice, and we never 

 saw them again. 



Our investigations for the remainder of the day were confined to the 

 beam trawl, while a new set of lines was being prepared. Six stations 

 were occupied in from 08 to 151 fathoms, between Neah Bay and Cape 

 Flattery, on rocky bottom. The results were satisfactory, but the wear 

 and tear on trawl nets was unprecedented. The weather was excellent 

 for that stormy region and the sea unusnally smooth, yet strong and 

 erratic currents swept the ship about in the most extraordinary man- 

 ner, largely increasing the losses incident to rocky bottoms. A marked 

 change in the character of the fauna was observed, deep-sea types 

 occupying a more prominent position. The following forms were noted 

 among the fishes: A single specimen of the true cod {Gadus morrhua) 

 was found in one of the hauls, the first taken by the Albatross south of 

 Alaska. The flounders were represented by Microstomus pacificus, 

 Glyptocephalus zachirus, and Atheresthes stoviias. The former were 

 abundant and averaged 3 pounds in weight. It is an excellent fish, 

 and is sometimes called the deep-sea sole, as is also the Glyptocephalus. 

 A fey.^ of the following were scattered through the hauls: raffish {CM- 

 mcvra), dogfish, skate, Sehastodes, Sehastolohus, Myctophum, and Liparis. 



The invertebrates were represented by prawns, shrimps, crabs, her- 

 mit-crabs, pycnogonids, brachiopods, and other shells, sea-urchins, 

 starfishes, sponges, worms, and a single small squid. 



Anchorage for the night was found in jSTeah Bay. 



We were under way again at daylight on the 29th (August), and, 

 steaming to a promising locality in the straits, one cod and one halibut 

 trawl line were set in 140 fathoms, gravel bottom. Heavy grapnels 

 were used for mooring each end of the lines, and double buoys were 

 attached to the buoy ropes. Mr. A. B. Alexander, fishery expert, was 

 so confident that his gear was sufficiently strong for the purpose, that 

 the ship took up other work pending the hauling of the trawls; but it 

 was not long before one of the buoys disappeared. The other end was 

 secured by a boat and 100 hooks recovered, from which were taken 3 

 black-cod. The largest weighed 28 pounds and was 51 inches long. 



Another trawl line was set at 12:30 j). m. in 125 fathoms, rocky 

 bottom, boats being used as buoj's, a7id we succeeded in recovering the 

 gear, taking 14 black-cod averaging 12i pounds in weight, sufficient 

 evidence, our expert thought, of the presence of this excellent fish in 

 the waters of the straits. 



Two hauls of the trawl were made during the day, adding a few 

 antedons and astrophytons to our list of specimens. It was foggy 

 most of the day, sometimes very thick, otherwise the weather was 

 favorable. At 10 :45 p. m. \ve came to for the night in Eoyal Eoads, 

 off Esquimalt, B. 0. 



