36 REPORT OF COMMISSIOXER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [34] 



The weather was squallj' and rainy until the 29th. The repairs to 

 the boilers were completed on the 28th, and steam raised preparatory 

 to going to sea. It was our intention to make a trip to the tilefish 

 ground, but failing to procure bait we were detained in port over night, 

 and the following day being thick and rainy we remained at our moor- 

 ings until 9 a. m. July 31, when we left for Newport to procure men- 

 haden for bait, and arrived there at 1.20 p. m. 



On our arrival a telegram was received from the Chief Signal Officer, 

 informing us that bad weather might be expected ; and, as our princi- 

 pal work would be in boats, we decided to remain in port until the 

 ^torm was over. 



AVe left Newport August 1, having procured a supply of fresh men- 

 haden, and stood to the southward. At 3.40 p. m. we hove to on Cox's 

 Ledge and fished about two and a half hours with hand-lines, meeting 

 with indifterent success. Large numbers of hake and dogfish were 

 caught, but only a few cod. After the lines were in we put over the 

 circular towing-net, having a ring ten feet in diameter and twenty feet 

 length of net, to try rapid towing near the bottom for fish. We 

 steamed at the rate of about five knots per hour for half an hour and 

 hauled it in. There were no fish in the net, but a few starfish and 

 shells showed that it had reached bottom occasionally. At 7.37 p. m. 

 we stood to the southward to reach our fishing-ground at daylight of 

 the following morning. The trawl-line, containing 1,000 hooks, was 

 baited during the night. A school of menhaden was seen outside of 

 Brenton's Reef light-ship, and a swordfish on Cox's Ledge. With these 

 exceptions no surface fish were seen during the day. 



Light SW. winds, hazy weather, and smooth sea were experienced on 

 the 2d. At 5.24 a. m. we set the trawl-line in 101 fathoms, green mud \ 

 and fine sand, latitude 40° 03' 00" N., longitude 70° 38' 00" W. The boat 

 returned at 9.45 a. m. with 103 hake, 2 whiting, 1 large skate, and 49 dog- 

 fish, but no tilefish. The line was set again at 1.25 p. m. in 136 fathoms, - 

 green mud and sand, latitude 40° 00" 15" N., longitude 70^55' 30" W., .1 

 the boat returning at 5.40 p. m. with 68 hake, 4 whiting, and 5 large j 

 skates. No tilefish were taken. We made three hauls of the trawl | 

 during the day on the slope near the fishing-boat, where we found many 

 of the forms discovered by the Fish Hawk in 1880. All fish taken were 

 examined, and numerous parasites found. Some of the whiting had 

 partially-developed roes, and in the numerous dogfish were found re- 

 cently-impregnated eggs and half-grown embryos. Life on the surface 

 was very meager, a few petrels and one swordfish being all that was 

 seen. 



Light SE. to SW. winds prevailed on the 3d with cloudy weather and 

 an occasional shower during the first part. The sea was smooth and 

 everything favorable for our work. At 5.30 a. m. we set the trawl-line 

 in 113 fathoms, green mud and fine sand, latitude 40° 01' 30" N., longi- 

 tude 71° 12' 30" W., the catch being 98 hake, 15 whiting, 3 skates, and 



