1046 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISU AND FISHERIES. [2 J 



Alexander Agassiz, on the Coast Sarvey steamer Blake, J. E. Bartlett, 

 U. S. N., commander, and later in the season by the United States Fish 

 Commission party, on the Fish Hawk. 



The Blake made several lines of dredgings off our eastern coast, cross- 

 ing the Gulf Stream Slope. The most southern of these were off the 

 Carolina coasts, and the most northern stations were just south of 

 George's Bank. These dredgings extended from shallow water to about 

 1,400 fathoms. The Blake was furnished with excellent apparatus for 

 sounding and dredging, temperature determinations, &c. The officers 

 of the Blake secured, by this exploration, a large amount of relia- 

 ble physical data, and Mr. Agassiz obtained very interesting collec- 

 tions, including large numbers of new forms of aniuial life, many of 

 which have already been described in the " Bulletin of the Museum of 

 Comparative Zoology." Later in the season of 1880 the United States 

 Fish Commission dredging party, under the supervision of the writer, 

 made its first expedition to the Gulf Stream Slope, in the steamer Fish 

 Hawk, Lieut. Z. L. Tanner commander. The region visited was about 

 75 to 80 miles south of Martha's Vineyard, in 65 to 192 fathoms. On 

 September 4, when this ground was first visited by us, a long day was 

 spent in dredging and trawling, and with marvelous results. The bot- 

 tom was found to be occupied by an exceedingly rich and abundant 

 fauna, including great numbers of new and strange forms of animals, 

 belonging to nearly all the marine orders. 



This first trip having been so successful, two others were made, later 

 in the season, to other parts of the Slope, in depths ranging from 85 to 

 500 fathoms. Each trip proved equallj* productive, and added many 

 species to the long lists of new discoveries. 



In 1881 seven trips were made by us to the Gulf Stream Slope, from 

 Wood's Holl, and in 1882 five trips. During these fifteen trips, on 

 most of which a single entire day was employed in dredging, we occu- 

 pied about 113 stations. At nearly all these stations we used a large 

 trawl of improved construction. In a few instances we used a large 

 rake-dredge. 



Our dredgings in this region during the three seasons cover a belt 

 about 160 miles long, east and west, and about 10 to 25 miles wide. 

 The most eastern stations are southeast of Cape Cod, the most west- 

 ern are south of Long Island. They are mostly between 90 and 110 

 miles from the coast-line of Southern New England (see Plate I). The 

 depths are mostly between 65 and 700 fathoms. Probably no other 

 equally large part of the ocean basin, in similar depths, has been more 

 fully examined than this. In addition to the regular work of the party 

 during the season. Captain Tanner made a special trip to the Gulf 

 Stream Slope, off Chesapeake Bay, in 1880, and another off' Delaware 

 Bay, in 1881. On both of these occasions valuable collections wore 

 made and additional data in regard to the depths and temperature were 

 obtained. He occupied seven stations, in 18 to 300 fathoms, in 1880, 



