258 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the slii]> wliile near the coast; ilying fish were lirst observed on the 5th 

 ill latitiule 23*^ 00' N.; and two si)ecies of booby were noticed. Man-of- 

 war hawks, ])etrels, and tnrtles were first seen on tlie (»th in latitnde 

 20'=' 00' N., and a school of yonn^- porpoises passed the vessel on the 7th. 



Reaching the vicinity of Acapnlco on the evening of the 8th, it was 

 thick and hazy over the land, and, not caring to enter the port before 

 <laylight, we hove to at 10 p. m., finally anchoring in the harbor at 8 

 ii. m. on the morning of the 0th. Thirty tons of coal were taken on 

 b(»ard during the day, the usual visits were made to the authorities, 

 and at 4:35 p. m. we proceeded to sea, en route to Panama. The nat- 

 uralists were busy with the collecting seine while in port, and brought 

 in no less than twenty S})ecies of fishes besides other forms. 



Tropical heat was encountered before reaching Acapulco, and carried 

 without intermission nntil we reached tlie Gulf of California on our 

 return. Light variable winds and fine weather were the rule from 

 Acapulco to Panama, but we had a short northeast gale off Tehuantepec, 

 a stiff norther in passing the Gulf of Dulce, and a brisk northerly wind 

 from Cape Mala to Panama-, where we arrived the morning of the 17th. 

 Prof. Alexander Agassiz, under whose direction the scientific work of 

 the cruise was to be conducted, reached Colon the same evening. 



Cape Mala to Cocos and Malpelo islands. — Coal and stores were taken 

 on board, and at 3 p. m. February 22 we left port for the purpose of 

 exploring tbe waters from Cape Mala to Cocos and Malpelo islands, 

 etc. Several schools of anchovies woe seen near the islands, in 

 Panama Koad, with the usual number of frigate-birds, pelicans, gulls, 

 porpoises, etc., feeding upon them. The surface net was put over for a 

 few minutes at 8 p. m., but there was very little life found. Work 

 commenced the following morning, and was continued through the day 

 between Morro Pucrcos and Marieto Point, in depths ranging from 

 ]H2 fathoms, gravel and sliells, to 005 fathoms, green mud. Vegetable 

 matter and occasionally quite large sticks were found at every station. 

 The beam-trawl and surface tow-net were used, and Avhile the results 

 from the latter were meager, the former developed a rich and varied 

 fauna. Serial temperatures and specific gravities were carefully taken, 

 but the action of the thermometers was not wholly satisfactory. 



Kich M'orking ground was found to the southward of Coiba Island on 

 the 24th, the soundings developing an unexpected elevation of the sea 

 b(^ttom. A depth of 8(50 fathoms Avas found 20 miles south of Jicarita 

 Island, 701 fatlioms at 35 miles, and at 50 miles there was but 465 

 fathoms, with rocky bottom — 1,672 fathoms being found 14 miles to the 

 southward and westward, llocky patches were frequently encountered, 

 especially on the submarine elevation, which played havoc with the 

 trawl nets, but rich hauls were made in si)ite of unfavorable conditions, 

 and the naturalists were greatly elated over the capture of rare and 

 valuable si)ecimens, some of them entirely new to science. A course 

 was steered in the direction of Cocos Island during the night, and at 



