2 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [296] 
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our reach, both to obtain complete collections of the animals and plants 
and to ascertain the precise character of the bottom, special attention 
being paid to the localities known to be the feeding. grounds of valuable 
fishes, and to those animals upon which they are known to feed. 
3d. The depth of the water and its temperature, both at the surface 
and bottom, was to be observed and recorded in as many localities as 
possible, and especially where dredging was to be done, and lists of the 
animals and plants from special localities or deptis were to be prepared, 
so as to show the influence of temperature and other physical features 
upon animal and vegetable life. Many valuable observations of this 
kind were made. 
Ath. The life of the surface waters was to be investigated by means 
of hand-nets and towing-nets, on every possible occasion, and at all 
hours. Towing-nets of different sizes, made of strong embroidery- 
canvas, and attached to stout brass rings, were used with excellent re- 
sults, but very many interesting things were obtained by hand-nets skil- 
fully used. The surface collections are of great interest in themselves, 
and of special importance practically, as they show the nature of the 
food of those fishes that feed at or near the surface. 
5th. The collections obtained were to be preserved by the best meth- 
ods: Ist, for the purpose of making a more thorough study of them 
than could usually be done at the time, and for the purpose of insuring 
accuracy in their identification and fullness in the special lists for the 
final reports; and 2d, in order to supply the Smithsonian Institution, 
Yale College museum, and a number of other public museums, both 
American and foreign, with sets of the specimens collected. For this 
last purpose large quantities of duplicates were collected and preserved, 
and will be distributed at an eariy day. . 
6th. Those species of animals which cannot be preserved in good 
condition for study were to be examined with care and minutely de- 
seribed while living. The colors and appearance of the soft parts of 
other species were to be described in the same way, and also the eggs 
and young of all kinds. 
7th. It was regarded as of great importance to secure accurate 
drawings of the living animals, and especially of such as greatly change . 
their form and appearance when preserved, such as worms, naked mol- 
lusks, ascidians, polyps, &e. Unfortunately the available funds were 
not sufficient to enable us to employ a special artist for this purpose 
during the summer, but this deficiency has been partially remedied by 
the figures subsequently drawn by Mr. J. H. Emerton, Mr. 8S. L Smith, 
Mr. O. Harger, and the writer. 
8th. In all these investigations the relations existing between the 
fishes and the lower animals which serve as food for them were to be 
constantly borne in mind, and all information bearing directly upon this 
subject that could be obtained was to be recorded. To this end large 
numbers of stomachs from fishes newly caught were examined, and 
