32 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [30] 



and on tlio ITtli the second coat was put on. The vessel was li;iuled 

 out of the dock and to the coal wharf at 2 p. m. on Friday, wlien we 

 commenced coaling, iinishiug at 2 p. m. the following day, liaviug 

 taken on board 131 tons. We left the yard at C p. m. the same day 

 and proceeded to sea. After passing tlie Capes we steamed ~o ft' shore, 

 keei)iug a lookout for surface fish, particularly menhaden and mackerel. 

 In watching the' migrations of these fish, our cruising ground last year 

 was between the inner edge of the Gulf Stream and the coast, from the 

 Capes of the Chesapeake to Cape Hatteras. To the northward of the 

 Chesapeake our operations were confined mostly to the immediate 

 vicinity of the coast, except, of course, our cruises to the Banks and the 

 Gulf of Maine. Taking up the oft'shorc search to the eastward of the 

 Capes, we continued it between the northern edge of the Gulf Stream 

 and the 100-fathom line as far as the meridian of Block Island. The 

 only surface fish seen were two small schools of menhaden near the 

 Capes of the Chesapeake, a school of porpoises, and two dolphins, 

 which were in pursuit of small fish. 



On the morning of the 20th, in latitude 37° 47' 00" N., longitude 74° 

 15' 00" W., near the 100-fathom line, we i)assed numerous dead octopods 

 floating on the surface. This unusual sight attracted immediate notice , 

 and no little surprise among those wlio knew their habits, as it was 

 not suspected at first that they were dead. We lowered a boat and 

 picked up three or four specimens, which we were unable to identify, 

 but in general appearance they resembled AUoposus mollis (Verrill) of 

 unusually large si/e. These dead cephalopods were seen frequentl}^ on 

 the 100-fathom line and outside of it from the position given above to 

 the meridian of Moutauk Point, a distance of 180 miles. They were 

 less numerous, however, as we went to the northward and eastward. 

 Several dead s(piid were seen also, and two.specimeus were i)icked up 

 with a scoop net. The occurrence recalls the great destruction of tile- 

 fish in the same locality during the winter of 1882. Three hauls were 

 taken with the trawl during the day between latitude 37° 50' 00" and 

 38° 01' 15" N., longitude 73° 53' 30" and 73° 44' 00" W., in from 155 to 

 5G8 fathoms, and, although we found the bottom unusually barren, 

 many valuable specimens were procured. Among them were large 

 quantities of quill-like worm tubes, some beautiful specimens of flabel- 

 lum, free crinoids, shrimp, a few large crabs, large flat sea urchins, 

 shells, foraminifera, and the usual quaiftity of deep-sea fish {Macru- 

 ridce and Gadidcv). A set of serial temperatures and water specimens 

 were taken. We steamed about thirty miles to the eastward during 

 the night, and at 4 a. m. on the 21st sounded in 1,000 fathoms, took a 

 set of serial temperatures and water s])ecimens, and at 0.25 a. ni. put 

 the trawl over in latitude 37° 57' 00" N., longitude 72° 34' 00" W., and 

 landed it on deck, after a successful haul, at 10.50 a. m. 



We then steamed to the eastward thirty miles, and at 2.59 p, m. 

 sounded in 1.504 fathoms, giobigerina ooze, latitude 38° 15' 00" K., 



