[I.')] WORK OF THE STEAMER FISH-HAWK. 67 



and longitude 71° 13' 30" west. We started for port at 5.30 p. ra., ar- 

 riving at 6.10 a. m. the following- morning. There was a fresh breeze 

 during the night, with a moderate beam sea, which caused the vessel to 

 roll heavily at times. 



The naturalists were employed in the laboratory during the 11th and 

 12th. One cast of the trawl was taken in Buzzard's Bay on the 13th. 

 We were detained in port by unfavorable weather until 4 p. m. on the 

 22d, when we left for an off-shore trip. At 4.15 a. m. the following 

 morning, we set a trawl-line with 900 hooks in 100 fathoms, latitude 

 40° 03' north, longitude 70° 31' west, and took 540 pounds of tile-fish, 

 the largest weighing 32 pounds. Large numbers of skate, hake, and 

 whiting were taken al^o. ]\[any interesting specimens were taken 

 during the day by fine towing nets, so attached to each end of the 

 trawl-beam as to act from the time it was lowered from the ship's side 

 till it lefc the water. So far as I know, this ingenious contrivance was 

 never used before and the results were most satisfactory 



Six casts of the trawl and dredge were made in from 71 to 724 fathoms 

 between the position given above and latitude 39° 52' 30" north, longi- 

 tude 70° 17' 30" west. It is doubtful whether the trawl reached the 

 bottom in the latter det)th, but several interesting specimens were found 

 in the net, probably caught on the way down or up. We started for 

 port at G.50 p. m. and arrived at 7.25 the following morning. 



The naturalists were engaged in the laboratory on the 25th, and on 

 the 26th we made a re-examination of various localities in Buzzard's 

 Bay. 



We were detained in port by unfavorable weather until the 29th, 

 when, the weather clearing, we left for the fishing banks off Chatham. 

 Finding a thick fog hanging over the shoals, we anchored at Hyannis 

 for the night. The weather clearing, we got under way at 4.25 a. m., 

 and at 7.50 cast the trawl in 10 fathoms, Chatham Lights bearing 

 northwest ^ west, distant 5 miles. Twenty-one casts of the trawl and 

 dredge were made during the day, and at 4.30 p. m. we started for i)ort, 

 arriving at 10.55 \). m. 



On the following day, August 31, we went to ISTew Bedford for coal, 

 returning September 2. We were detained by gales and fog until the 

 7th. A peculiar atmospheric condition worthy of note was observed 

 on the 6th instant. The weather was overcast, with a brisk breeze from 

 southwest, moderating during the morning, when a thick fog set in, last- 

 ing until afternoon when it rose, and, combined with smoke, darkened 

 the atmosi)here to almost a twilight. The light was peculiarly yellow, 

 and gave to the foliage an intensified color; ordinary oil lamj^s had 

 the color and general appearance of electric lights. The sky remained 

 overcast alter dark, but became clearer and objects resumed their 

 natural colors. 



At 8.45 a. m., September 7, we left port, and at 12.50 p. ra. cast the 

 trawl in 26 fathoms, latitude 41° north, longitude 70° 49' west. Nine 



