REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXIX 
Grampus was accordingly sent to the fishing-banks in the latter part of 
September in search of halibut. It was found that the spawning sea- 
son was near at hand. The fish were caught in deep water, from 200 to 
350 fathoms, and placed in tle vessel’s well apparently in good condi- 
tion; but all of them died within twenty-four hours, probably on account 
of the difference in pressure and temperature. Attempts will be made 
to get halibut from shallow water in the Gulf of St. Lawrence or on the 
west coast ot Newfoundland for future experiments, when it is expected 
that they will better endure transportation in the vessel. 
ce. The Codfish (Gadus morrhua). 
The apparatus which proved most satisfactory for hatching the float. 
ing eggs of the cod was the tidal box devised by Colonel MeDonald in 
1881, modified by Capt. H. C. Chester’s addition of inverted glass cylin- 
ders, having the mouth closed by cheese cloth and the bottom perfo- 
rated for ventilation. 
During January and February eggs were hatched easily in the ap- 
paratus above mentioned, but owing to the severe weather it was very 
difficult to obtain spawning fish. 
On the 25th of January two acid carboys, each Can bane 40,000 cod- 
fish just hatched, were forwarded by express from Wood’s Holl to 
Washington. After being forty-four hours in transit, about 7 per cent. 
of them reached Washington alive. On the next day 50,000 fish were 
sent in acarboy. After a journey of forty-four hours fally 50 per cent. 
of them reached the station in good condition. On January 28 a ship- 
ment of 500,000 fish in ten carboys was taken from Wood’s Holl by 
messengers. They reached Washington on the 29th with a loss of less 
than 10 per cent., and were sent forward the same day to Pensacola, 
Fla., where they arrived shortly after midnight, February 1, with an 
additional loss of about 10 per cent. At Pensacola they were trans- 
ferred to the revenue steamer Forward, which had been placed at the 
service of the Commission by order of the Secretary of the Treasury, 
and carried to the place selected by Mr. Silas Stearns for their final 
destination in the Gulf of Mexico, southeast by east from Pensacola 
Bar, in 100 fathoms of water. This experiment was made to determine 
whether or not the cod can be successfully transferred to Southern 
waters and become the object of a profitable fishery there. 
In February a shipment of 500,000 young cod was forwarded from 
Wood’s Holi through Washington to Old Point, to be deposited in 
Hampton Roads, with the hope of forming a eclony in Chesapeake Bay. 
Work of the Grampus.—During the winter of 1886~87 the Grampus 
was engaged in obtaining eggs of the codfish for hatching at the Wood’s 
Holl Station. In many cases the fish were taken with the gear of the 
Grampus and carried alive in the well to the station. Between 600 and 
700 live fish were thus secured. Over 43,000,000 eggs were obtained; 
20,000,000 were hatched and planted in the immediate vicinity of the 
Station. Frequently eggs were obtained by sending men to collect 
