6 REPORT OP COMMISSIONEli OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



miles apart. At eacli of these stations, Avliicli lumibeied several liuu- 

 dred in the course of the two seasons, the tem])erature of the water 

 was taken ;it rt'<;ular intervals between the surface and bottom, or down 

 to depths of 300 to ."iOO fathoms, where the depth of water exceeded 

 that amount, and at the same time a full set of meteorological observa- 

 tions was recorded. The result has been to fnrnish a large series of 

 vertical temperature sec^tions through the Avater which show very clearly 

 the relations of the (xulf Stream with the colder waters of the Arctic 

 current, and the surface variations are accompanied by very complete 

 meteorological data, with which, it is hoped, a correlation may ulti- 

 mately be rendered possible. These observations will undoubtedly 

 throw much light upon the habits of several species of pelagic fishes, 

 of which the mackerel is most conspicuous, and even the movements of 

 such bottom fishes as the tile-fish will probably find their explanation 

 in a knowledge of these physical characteristics. 



Dr. H. V. Wilson, a graduate of Johns Hopkins Universit}-, Avas ap- 

 pointed resident naturalist at the Woods Holl Station in the spring of 

 1889, and has served in that capacity during the past two years. The 

 laboratory at this place has, therefore, been kept constantly open dur- 

 ing this entire period, and in the summer months a large number of 

 biologists have been present, as in former years. Dr. Wilson's studies 

 have been directed toward the i^ractical needs of the fish-cultural oper- 

 ations, and have related chiefly to the sea bass, the cod, and the Atlan- 

 tic salmon. A oomjDrehensive study of the life history of the lobster 

 has also been taken uj) for the Fish Commission by Prof. F. H. Herrick. 

 Important observations regarding the natural Jiistory of many fishes 

 and exijerimeuts relating to the artificial propagation of several of 

 these have been made by Mr. V. N. Edwards. His investigations, 

 moreover, have furnished conclusive proof that the hatching Avork of 

 the Fish Conunission has been exceptionally successful in increasing 

 the supply of cod on the southern New England coast, and show that 

 the larger fish resulting from these plantings Avill to some extent enter 

 more shallow waters than are generally frequented by the cod, schools 

 of this species now often making their appearance in places Avhere they 

 were never seen before. Experiments relative to the propagation of the 

 Spanish maclceiel and inquiries regarding its embryologj^ A\ere in 

 progress in the lower Chesapeake Bay during the latter part of , Tune, 

 1891, being conducted by a party on board the steamer Fish Haicl:. 



The investigations respecting the interior AA'aters of the country have 

 been conducted upon a very extensive scale and Avith important prac- 

 tical results, having reference mainly to the fish-cultural needs of the 

 regions which have been examined. They have covered, to a greater 

 or less extent, twelve different States and Territories, as folloAvs: The 

 Yellowstone National Park, in AVyoiiiing; Colorado, Utah, Missouri, 

 Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, and 



