100 REl'OKT OF CUMiMISSlONER OF FISH AND FltiHEKIES. 



eastern i)art of Bering ISea. Siibse(iuently souic iuUlitioual observa- 

 tions were made in regard to the fishing region south of the Ahiska 

 Peninsula, whicli had l)cen surveyed inl.SS.S; a short stop Mas made 

 on the coast of Wasliiiigtoii, and tlie examination of tlie continental 

 l)hitform was finished betAveen Cape Mendocino and Point Arena, Cali- 

 fornia. Tlie last of January, 1891, the Albatross was dispatched on a 

 special expedition otf the west coast of IMexico and Central ^Vmerica, and 

 to the region about the Galapagos Islands, under the scientific direction 

 of Prof. Alexander Agassiz. This occupied about three months, and by 

 the end of June, 1891, the steamer had been refitted for a third cruise 

 to Alaska. 



The conduct of these investigations was in charge of Lieut. Com- 

 mander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. Navy, commanding the Albatross, assisted 

 by an eflicient staff of naval officers in the management of the ship 

 and in connection with the physical observations. The civilian staff 

 has consisted of Mr. Charles H. Towusend, naturalist; Mr. A. B. Alex- 

 ander, fishery expert, and Mr. N. B. Miller, assistant naturalist. Prof. 

 Charles H. Gilbert, of Indiana University, was also attached to the 

 steamer as ichthyologist and chief naturalist from January to August, 

 1889, and during the Bering Sea cruise of 1890. 



ALASKA. 



During the summer of 1890 the Albatross was in Bering Sea, Avhere 

 an examination was made of all the principal cod-fishing banks as well 

 as of the general features of the shallow-water area which composes 

 the entire eastern j)art of this important region. The Albatross entered 

 Bering Sea by \vay of Unimak Pass, in May, and carried a line of 

 soundings in a northerly and easterly direction a distance of about 80 

 miles, when stormy weather made it necessary to proceed to IJnalaska, 

 the dredgings and soundings being continued, however, in that direc- 

 tion. Leaving the latter place on May 28, the vessel began a recon- 

 naissance of the shore line of Bristol Bay, which was conducted first 

 along the north side of the Alaska Peninsula as far as tlie Kvichak 

 River, and thence to tiie Kuskokwim liiver. During this cruise the 

 contour and topogiaphy of tlie coast were sufficiently well defined to 

 serve as Ji basis lor the subsequent hydrograi)hic observations. From 

 Cajie Newenham a line of stations was run in the direction of the North- 

 west Cape of Unimak, and the latter part of June investigations were 

 commenced on Slinu^ Uank, being carried thence over Jiaird r>auk to 

 the head of Bristol iUiy andthe lvulukak(Jround. Two visits were i»aid 

 to PortMiiller and I lerendeen Bay, Avhere a coal mine had recently been 

 oi)ene(l, and partial surveys were made of ea(;h of these inlets, which 

 define their entrance and the channel leading to the coal landing. 



During tlie first part of August a. line Of soundings was made from 

 oil" Cape Cheerful, Unalaska, to Bogoslof Island and volcano, from the 



