GOG PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [1885. 



REPORT UPON THE ECHINI COLLECTED BY THE U. S. FISH COM- 

 MISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM 

 JANUARY TO MARCH, 1885. 



By RICHARD RATHRIJN. 



NOTICE OF THE CRUISE OF 1885. 



The U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross left Norfolk, Va., 

 January, 1885, on a second winter's cruise to the Gulf of Mexico, this 

 time solely in the interest of the Fish Commission, and for the purpose 

 of exploring the fishing grounds lying oft" the southern coast of the 

 United States. These grounds had never been previously investigated, 

 and the only information we possessed respecting their character and 

 extent had been obtained from the fishermeu. On the trip to Key West 

 the Albatross spent one day fishing with trawl lines ofi' South Carolina, 

 in depths of about 80 to 100 fathoms, but stormy weather interferiug 

 with the coutinuatiou of the work in that latitude, it was abandoned for 

 the time being. 



At Key West the important fishing interests centering in that place 

 were studied with great care, and thence the Albatross proceeded to 

 Havana, Cuba, spending about four days on the famous Pentacrinus 

 ground located off Havana light, a portion of the party at the same 

 time making a brief examination of the fisheries and fishing craft of 

 the region. The next localities visited were the island of Cozumel and 

 Campeche Bank,off' Yucatan, where seines and hand-lines were employed 

 in making collections of fishes with a view to obtaining information re- 

 specting the migrations and spawning habits of certain species of fishes 

 that also inhabit our own coast. The remainder of the cruise, except- 

 ing about two weeks spent at New Orleans, was devoted to exploring 

 the fishing grounds of the northeastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, 

 from the mouth of the Mississippi liiver to Cedar Keys, Fla., and from 

 the latter place to the Dry Tortugas. The principal fishery of this re- 

 gion is for the red snapper, and the most satisfactory results regarding 

 the distribution and habits of that species were obtained between 

 Tampa Bay and the Dry Tortugas, in depths of 25 to 28 fathoms. The 

 shore fisheries at the mouth of Manatee River, Florida, were also stud- 

 ied, and the existence of a reported bank outside of the 100-fathom line 

 off Mobile was disproved. 



The investigations were all -carried on with extreme thoroughness, 

 and included many lines of temperature observations and dredgings 

 across the fishing grounds to ascertain their (ihief characteristics. In 

 this manner many valuable collections of fishes and invertebrates were 

 obtained, and they are now safely stored at the National Museum, where 

 they are being studied. One hundred and ten dredging stations (serial 



