REPORT OF THP] COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 65 



At Homer, Minn., a hatchery buildmg 20 by 55 feet, with hatching 

 room, laboratory, offices, etc., has been erected, together with a 

 cottage and other necessary buildings. 



At the Leadville, Colo., station a foreman's house, boiler house 

 with work rooms and shops, a barn, and other necessary buildings 

 were constructed, and improvements were made to the ponds and 

 grounds. 



At the Fairport, Iowa biological station two additional cottages, 

 a barn, and tank house have been built, and filtering plant, cisterns, 

 pipe lines, culvert, and other additions to the water system have 

 been completed. Plans are ready for a laboratory 50 by 100 feet 

 and a contract for its construction will soon be let. 



The establishment of a biological station on the Gulf coast of 

 Florida was authorized by Congress, in an act approved March 1, 

 1911, the cost not to exceed S50,000, and an initial appropriation of 

 $25,000 was made for the purpose in the sundry civil act for 1912. 

 The act of authorization provides that the State of Florida shall 

 donate and transfer, free of cost, to the United States the necessary 

 land and water rights required for the laboratory. Pursuant to 

 this provision the Florida legislature, by act approved June 3, 1911, 

 took steps for the acquisition of a site by creating a commission to 

 confer with the Secretary of Commerce and Labor regarding the 

 selection. A number of sites have been examined, but no final 

 selection has yet been made. 



VESSEL SERVICE. 



While the steamer Albatross was engaged in investigation of cod 

 and halibut grounds in the north Pacific Ocean during the summer 

 of 1911, reported upon elsewhere, it was discovered as the result of 

 a survey by a board of officers that the ship was in bad condition, the 

 iron deck and plates in the hull being badly corroded. Further 

 examinations on arrival at Sausalito developed the fact that the 

 condition was even worse than was supposed; so bad, in fact, as to 

 make it dangerous for the vessel to go to sea. The original construc- 

 tion of the ship was so good, however, and she is still so strong gen- 

 erall}^, that it was considered highly desirable to ask for a special 

 appropriation for comprehensive repairs and refitting. This was 

 not granted during the year and will be again recommended. Mean- 

 time the work of the Albatross has been confined since last autumn 

 to a biological survey of San Francisco Bay. 



The steamer Fish Hawk was occupied during the summer of 1911 

 at Woods Plole in connection mth the biological work, and late in 

 October was sent to the yard of the Pusey & Jones Co. at Wilmington^ 

 Del., ^^^th which firm a contract had been entered into for extensive 

 repairs. During the winter and early spring the vessel was thor- 



