XXII EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The United States steamer Speedwell, assigned to the United States 

 Eish Commission in 1877, was also placed at its disposal in 1878. Com- 

 mander L. A. Beardslee, who had been in charge of the steamer Blue- 

 Light during the field-work of 1873, 1874, and 1875, was placed in com- 

 mand of the Speedwell ; Commander Kellogg, who was in charge of the 

 vessel in 1877, having been assigned to other duty. 



All the necessary repairs to the Speedwell were made at the Ports- 

 mouth navy-yard, at which place she had been laid up during the preced- 

 ing winter. 



After a careful inquiry into of different points on the sea-coast from 

 which a critical scientific research might profitably be made in the in- 

 terest of the fisheries, Gloucester, Mass., was selected, and on the 9th of 

 July I established my headquarters there for the season, accompanied 

 by the entire clerical force of the Commission. 



After due inquiry, a suitable wharf and buildings were rented on Fort 

 Hill, at the mouth of Gloucester Harbor. Eooms for laboratories, offices, 

 storage, &c., as also a large apartment, used afterwards for the hatching 

 of codfish, were included in the accommodations supplied. The wharf, 

 directly on which the buildings were situated, fronted about 150 feet on 

 two sides. 



The Speedwell arrived on the 18th of July, and from that time until 

 her departure, on the 30th of September, the work was carried on without 

 serious interruption other than that caused by the weather, excepting 

 for one period, from the 4th of August until the 14th, when she was at 

 Portsmouth undergoing certain necessary repairs. 



The personnel of the Speedwell consisted, in addition to her com- 

 mander, Captain Beardslee, of Dr. J. F. Bransford, surgeon; H. E. 

 Drury, i)aymaster ; R. W. Gait, engineer ; James H. Smith, executive 

 officer; James. H. Kuhl, mate. The wharf, buildings, and apparatus 

 were in charge of Capt. H. C. Chester, under whose superintendence 

 also the work of^^dredging and trawling was usually conducted. The 

 total force of the steamer, including petty officers and men, amounted 

 to about 40. 



The laboratory work was, as usual, under the special charge of Mr. 

 G. Brown Goode and Prof. A. E. Verrill ; Mr. Go'ode, aided by Dr. Bean, 

 taking charge more particularly of the fishes, while Professor Verrill, 

 assisted by Mr. Richard Rathbun, and for a ijortion of the time by Mr. 

 Warren Ui^ham, superintended the dredging and trawling work and 

 the collection of marine invertebrates. 



For a portion of the season Dr. W. G. Farlow was engaged in carry- 

 ing on some researches into the peculiar condition to which salted cod- 

 fish is liable during the moist summer weather. Small red specks show 

 themselves upon the fish and rapidly spread, in time covering it com- 

 pletely. This is accompanied by a tendency to decomposition, which 

 spoils the fish for market. As a very important subject, I invited Dr. 

 Farlow's attention to it, and his report will be found in the appendix 



