REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP FISH AND FISHERIES. XXIII 



herewith. He considers the aflfectiou to be due to the presence of a 

 minute red alga, possibly derived from the salt used in curing- the 

 fish. The Cadiz salt, examined by him, was found to contain the spores 

 of this alga in large quantity, being tinted of a pink color thereby. 

 These were doubtless derived from the vats or evaporating places of the 

 salt. The Trapani salt, also used by the fishermen of Gloucester, was 

 found to be free from this admixture, and its use is therefore recom- 

 mended. The attempt to eradicate the affection will require that the 

 holds of the vessels and the salt-houses be kept perfectly free from the 

 introduction of this plant. 



During a visit by Prof. W. O. Atwater to Gloucester, during the sum- 

 mer, an arrangement was made with him to prosecute a series of investi- 

 gations upon the food-qualities of various species of fishes and their 

 availability for the manufacture of fertilizers, involving many chemical 

 analyses. « 



The various researches prosecuted during the summer's campaign will 

 be presented hereafter in the form of special reports. 



The usual collections were made, especially by means of the dredge 

 and trawl, and tlie specimens secured are held for the !N"ational Museum 

 and for distribution to educational establishments throughout the United 

 States. 



An extremely valuable mass of information was obtained during the 

 summer, by Mr. Goode, in connection with the early history of the Glou- 

 cester fisheries, and by means of questioning some old fishermen and 

 sailors he secured full details as to the inception and early history of 

 the mackerel, halibut, cod, and other fisheries. This will be embodied 

 with the series of investigations undertaken for the purpose of securing 

 statistical information on the American fisheries, the importance of 

 which was referred to in the previous report. Many specimens of fishery 

 apparatus were also secured, some of them obsolete or displaced by 

 modern apparatus, others illustrating the present condition of opera- 

 tions; all, however, of interest. 



In addition to the collections made, many soundings and temjieratures 

 of the water were taken, the condition of the bottom ascertained, &c. ; and 

 an important generalization was made by Professor Verrill, based upon 

 certain collections of fossil remains brought in by fishermen from various 

 parts of the fishing banks. These were evidently of Tertiary age, but of a 

 formation and distribution ditt'ering remarkably from anything known 

 on the mainland, and suggesting to Professor Verrill the existence of a 

 Tertiary deposit off the coast, hitherto unknown. While some of the 

 species are the same as those found on the mainland, others are entirely 

 different and appear to be new to science. 



The work of the Commission was greatly facilitated during the period 

 of its stay by the establishment, by order of General Myer, of a storm- 

 warning station at Gloucester. This was erected on the top of the cus- 

 tom-house, one of the highest edifices in the city and visible for a great 



