[31] WORK OF STEAMER ALBATROSS. 33 



longitude 72^ 03' 00" W.; and at 3 p. m. jiut over the beam-trawl, veer- 

 ing to 2,300 fathoms of rope. It was on the bottom at 5 p. m., dragged 

 until 6.2Q, and was landed on deck at 7.52 p. m. Among the speci- 

 mens takeu were a large number of holothurians, new to us last year; 

 large numbers and great variety of starfish, sea-anemones, hermit-crabs, 

 flounders, and other deep-sea fish. The trawl came up after dark the 

 last haul, and the specimens were collected from the table-sieve by aid 

 of the arc light. The vessel was put under very low speed for an hour 

 for surface towing. 



On the morning of the 22d we sounded our way into the remarkable 

 hole referred to during our last year's cruise, and at 7.52 a. m. we cast 

 the lead in 452 fathoms, green mud, latitude 39^ 33' 00" IST., longitude 

 72^ 18' 30" W., took a set of serial temperatures and water specimens, 

 and at 9 a. m. put over the small beam-trawl. Four hauls were made 

 during the day between the ])osition given above and latitude 39^ 29' 

 00" X., longitude 72° 05' 15" W., in from 87 to 452 fathoms. In ad- 

 dition to our catch of the previous day, we took quite a number of pole- 

 flounders and a large proportion of deep-sea fish. At 6.50 p. m., hav- 

 ing finished dredging for the day, we hove to and drifted until 4 a. m. 

 the following morning, when we sounded in 510 fathoms, black mud, 

 latitude 39° 30' 10" N., longitude 71° 50' 00" W., and at 4.35 put over 

 the beam-trawl. Four hauls were made during the day between the 

 above position and latitude 39° 25' 30" N., longitude 71° 44' 00" W., in 

 from 510 to 861 fathoms, with very satisfactory results. Among the 

 mauj- valuable specimens taken was a large cephalopod, genus EJe- 

 done ; about 50 large red crabs, Geryon quinquedens (Smith), which we 

 found last year; many shrimps ; a small cephalopod, genus unknown; 

 and an unusually large number of fish, mostly Macmrus, other varieties 

 being, however, well represented. A set of serial temperatures and 

 water specimens were taken after the last haul. The water specimen 

 from 500 fathoms requires special mention from the unprecedented 

 amount of gas it contained. When placed in the specific-gravit}' cup 

 tlie escape of gas was perceptible to the eye and the rapid rising of 

 bubbles made it impracticable to obtain the specific gravity for the mo- 

 ment. The operator, noticing the peculiarity, turned the water into a 

 specimen bottle and sealed it as soon as possible, and even then after 

 the loss of a large quantity of gas, it had very much the appearance of 

 soda-water. This was so remarkable that we immediately sent down 

 three water-bottles and thermometers, the specimens showing a large 

 quantity of gas, but nothing like the former one. The ship had drifted 

 about I of a mile between the taking of the first and second specimens. 

 The temperatures were uniform at 40^ F. 



It will be recollected that we experienced great difficulty in taking 



serial temperatures during the winter cruise in the Caribbean Sea from 



the mercury shaking down and filling the tubes of the Negretti & 



Zambra deep-sea thermometer. We used what is known as the Tan- 



H. Mis. 0.S 3 



