REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 39 
fishery was regularly followed through the winter and spring of 1915- 
16 with results that were very satisfactory to the fishermen and the 
vessel owners. 
The survey of halibut grounds lying off the coasts of Oregon and 
Washington was continued by the steamer Albatross during the first 
three months of the fiscal year. The first trip of the Albatross was 
to grounds off the coast of Washington from Grays Harbor to Flat- 
tery Banks, but the abundance of ground and blue sharks rendered 
the location unpromising for the establishment of a fishery at that 
time. Two especially favorable halibut bottoms were discovered, 
one 31 miles west of Grays Harbor and the other 37 miles S. by W. 
from the Umatilla Lightship. 
The second trip covered the same region by lines of sounding 
intended to determine the possible existence of offshore banks rising 
from the deep water. One such bank was located as apparently the 
top of a submerged mountain, rising 6,000 feet from the floor of the 
ocean. The depth ranged from 525 to over 830 fathoms. The bank 
is not shoal enough for fishing, but it suggests the possible existence of 
other banks that might be of greater practical importance. The 
location of the bank is about 278 miles from Cape Flattery Light, the 
latter bearing N. 66° E. 
A third trip covered the region off the Columbia River and south 
therefrom as far as Cape Meares. Good halibut bottom was found 
S. 71° W. of Columbia River Lightship, 17 miles out. South along 
the 100-fathom curve to Cascade Head good bottom was noted for 
nearly the entire distance in 110 to 120 fathoms. A patch of suitable 
bottom was located 22 miles northwest of Cape Meares Light in 94 fath- 
oms. The largest ground discovered by the Albatross on this trip lies 
between Tillamook Head and Cape Falcon, 28 to 30 miles from the 
coast. The bottom is of coarse and fine gravel, black sand, and 
granular shale, and an abundance of life was noted at the surface 
of the water. Important hydrographic observations were made and 
reported to the Coast and Geodetic Survey and to the Navy Depart- 
ment. A report of the halibut survey, with charts, will soon be 
published. 
OCEANOGRAPHIC STUDIES. 
If we were interested to know the capacity of certain lands for 
the support of particular kinds of animals; if we wished to ascertain 
the causes of the natural movements of such animals; or if we were 
to determine upon a proper policy of handling our stock in governance 
of their capture, or in endeavors to increase their numbers by cultural 
methods, we could not neglect to consider the character of the land 
im its various parts, its Gat in vegetation small and large. 
Similar inquiries, roughly speaking, when applied to the ocean 
constitute the science of oceanography. However it may appear to 
the eye, the ocean is not one great homogeneous body of water, but 
is marked by a diversity such as we are familiar with upon the land. 
Variations in depth, in saltness, in temperature, or in richness of 
animal and plant life are always encounterable, whether we proceed 
from the shores to the open sea, from the surface to the bottom, from 
east to west or north to south, from any one geographic region to 
another. There are variations from year to year, even from season 
to season; there exist veritable deserts where abundant fish might 
