REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 99 



Florida. The majority of these surveys have been very thorough, af- 

 fording- niueh desired information regarding the natural features of 

 a large number of lakes and rivers, in respect to which fish-cultural 

 operations have been undertaken or proposed. 



The Woods HoU laboratory has been open continuously during the 

 entire period, a competent scientific expert having been employed to 

 study the biological questions which are constantly arising in con- 

 nection with the hatching work conducted at this station. During 

 both summers the fjxcilities of the laboratory have also been extended, 

 as in former years, to a large number of naturalists, some of whom 

 have given their attention exclusively to the Fish Commission work. 

 Many special observations have been made on the life history of the 

 seacoast hshes, and interesting experiments have been conducted rela- 

 tive to their artificial propagation. One result of these inquiries has 

 been to demonstrate conclusively that the attempts recently made to 

 increase the supply of cod on some parts of the New England coast 

 have met with complete success. Not only has the number of fish aug- 

 mented from year to year, but schools of this species are making their 

 appearance in many places where they had never been seen before. 

 Twelve other species of fishes have also been studied to a greater or 

 less extent, the greatest amount of progress having been made with 

 respect to the sea bass and Spanish mackerel. A thorough investiga- 

 tion into the life history of the lobster is likewise now being made. 



PACIFIC COAST. 



The steamer Albatross was at work on the coasts of Washington 

 and Oregon at the ch)se of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, and 

 on July 8 following left Tacoma, Wash., with several members of 

 the TJ. S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to visit the principal 

 Indian settlements in southeastern Alaska. Tlie trip was made by 

 way of the inland passages and extended as far as Sitka and Juneau. 

 It terminated July 28, and the Albatross then started for Bering Sea, 

 but when only a few days cmt .the port engine became disabled, and she 

 was obliged to return to Seattle for repairs. When these had been 

 completed the season was too far advanced to warrant making the long 

 passage to Alaska, and the steamer again toolc up the investigations 

 off Washington, carrying them southward along the coasts of Oreg(Ui 

 and California as far as Cape Mendocino. During the following winter 

 repairs were made at the Mare Island navy-yard, and during March 

 and April, 1800, the region between Point Arena and Point Conception 

 was examined, thereby nearly completing the preliminary, survey of 

 the California coast. 



On May 5, 1800, the A/ftrtiro.'?.'? left San Francisco and proceeded to 

 Alaska, wliere several montlis were spent in defining the fishing-grounds 

 and iu determining the physical and natural-history features of the 



