REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXIX 



Grampus was accordingly sent to the fishing-banks in the latter part of 

 September in search of halibut. It was foimd that the spawning sea- 

 sou was near at hand. The fish were caught in deep water, from 200 to 

 350 fathoms, and placed in the vessel's well apparently in good condi- 

 tion ; but all of them died within twenty-four hours, probably on account 

 of the difference in pressure and temperature. Attempts will be made 

 to get halibut from shallow water in the Gulf of St. Lawrence or on the 

 west coast ot Newfoundland for future experiments, when it is expected 

 that the} 7 will better endure transportation in the vessel. 



c. The Codfish (Gadus morrhua). 



The apparatus which proved most satisfactory for hatching the float- 

 ing eggs of the cod was the tidal box devised by Colonel McDonald in 

 1881, modified by Oapt. H. G. Chester's addition of inverted glass cylin- 

 ders, having the mouth closed by cheese cloth and the bottom perfo- 

 rated for ventilation. 



During January and February eggs were hatched easily in the ap- 

 paratus above mentioned, but owing to the severe weather it was very 

 difficult to obtain spawning fish. 



On the 25th of January two acid carboys, each containing 10,000 cod- 

 fish just hatched, were forwarded by express from Wood's Iloll to 

 Washington. After being forty-four hours in transit, about 7 per cent, 

 of them reached Washington alive. On the next day 50,000 fish were 

 sent in a carboy. After a journey of forty-four hours fully 50 per cent, 

 of them reached the station in good condition. On January 28 a ship- 

 ment of 500,000 fish in ten carboys was taken from Wood's Holl by 

 messengers. The} 7 reached Washington on the 29th with a loss of less 

 than 10 per cent., and were sent forward the same day to Pensacola, 

 Fla., where they arrived shortly after midnight, February 1, with an 

 additional loss of about 10 per cent. At Pensacola they were trans- 

 ferred to the revenue steamer Forward, which had been placed at the 

 service of the Commission by order of the Secretary of the Treasury, 

 and carried to the place selected by Mr. Silas Steams for their final 

 destination in the Gulf of Mexico, southeast by east from Pensacola 

 Bar, in 100 fathoms of water. This experiment was made to determine 

 whether or not the cod can be successfully transferred to Southern 

 waters and become the object of a profitable fishery there.- 



In February a shipment of 500,000 young cod was forwarded from 

 Wood's Holl through Washington to Old Point, to be deposited in 

 Hampton Iioads, with the hope of forming a colony in Chesapeake Bay. 



Work of the Grampus. — During the winter of 1886-87 the Grampus 

 was eugaged in obtaining eggs of the codfish for hatching at the Wood's 

 Holl Station. In many cases the fish were taken with the gear of the 

 Grampus and carried alive in the well to the station. Between 600 and 

 700 live fish were thus secured. Over 43,000,000 eggs were obtained; 

 20,000,000 were hatched and planted iu the immediate vicinity of the 

 station. Frequently eggs were obtained by sending men to collect 



