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



at 4.35 p. in., with many specimens of macrurus, crustaceans, bentho- 

 dytes, starfish, sea-urchins, pennatulas, &c. The fourth and last haul 

 was made at 4.55 p. m. in 811 fathoms, latitude 37° 23' N., longitude 

 74° 02' W. It was completed at 7.32 p. in., and, besides an enormous 

 load of iimil, the net contained one specimen of a large red spiny crab, 

 lithodes, pennatulas, starfish, flabellum, shells, and a large squid, Steno- 

 teuthis megaptera, 5 feet Ci inches in length, weighing 30 pounds. There 

 were also the usual variety of deep-sea fish. The large surface net was 

 towed at intervals with fair success. The use of this net in winter and 

 spring has shown the surface waters of the North Atlantic to be com- 

 paratively barren of life, but during the latter part of summer and 

 autumn many forms of Crustacea are found, either mature or in the lar- 

 val form. Fish are a marked feature of the catch, among them being 

 the surface fishes, of various kinds, that have their homes in floating 

 Gulf- weed, or hover about the medusa'. The young of various species, 

 notably the bluefish and flying-fish, are taken in large numbers, besides 

 many other forms too numerous to mention. It may be truly said that 

 the introduction of the large surface net has opened a new field of inves- 

 tigation. 



At 7.35 p. in. we started for port. The weather, which had been mild 

 and pleasant, threatened a change for the worse, and, after a night of 

 menacing indications, we encountered, about 5 a. m., a furious squall 

 of wind and rain. Passing Cape Henry at 6.28 a. m., we steamed up 

 Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac Eiver, anchoring for the night at 

 5.37 p. m., near Lower Cedar Point. We got under way again at day- 

 light, October 28, and reached the navy-yard, Washington, D. C, at 1 

 p. m. Specimens and other articles received on board for transporta- 

 tion were sent to the Smithsonian Institution, and the work of clean- 

 ing and refitting was commenced. Spars and rigging were overhauled 

 and a new fore-top-gallant yard made to replace the old one, which was 

 rotten. The chain cables were overhauled and restowed, store-rooms 

 and holds broken out, cleaned, and painted, or whitewashed, and the 

 inner side of the iron hull scraped and painted where accessible. 



The engines were overhauled and repaired by our own people. 



An appropriation was made during the first session of the Forty- 

 ninth Congress for new boilers. Passed Assistant Engineer George 

 W. Baird, U. S. N., prepared designs for them, and for a rearrangement 

 of coal-bunkers, &c, which were approved, and, after duly advertising 

 in the public press, the contract was awarded to the Columbian Iron 

 Works and Dry Dock Company, of Baltimore, Md., for the sum of 

 $13,439. 



MECHANICAL APPLIANCES. 



The mechanical appliances and apparatus generally have worked 

 very well during the year, but experience has suggested improvements 

 here and there, most of which have been adopted. 





