28 FOURTH REPORT OF SHELL FISH COMMISSIONERS 
The practical operation of the notes as prepared for field use is as 
follows: The corner at which a buoy is desired set, is found on the 
map, and the black number noted. We have then simply to turn tothe 
page of the note book corresponding to this number, and we find the 
angles needed. Ifa buoy has ever been set or surveyed at this point, 
its number will appear -in red ink on the page with the angles. If 
such number appears it is called off, and the recorder writes against 
the proper blank space in the buoy record book, the number of the 
buoy, with the affix ‘‘ reset.” 
Whenever a buoy is set or reset, its number is noted in red ink on 
the proper page of the angle book, together with the day, month and 
year, —all by numbers. At each buoy which is set by angles deduced 
from office work, the check angle is observed after the buoy is set, 
and if different from the angle called for, the reading of the sextant 
is noted in red ink. If the difference is enough to excite suspicion 
as to the correctness of the work, an investigation at once takes place. 
The buoy record books are 5% by 734 inches in size, and each 
admit the notes for fifty-nine buoys. A full double page is allowed 
for each buoy. The following words are printed on the left hand 
page, and suitable blank spaces left to be filled out, namely: Locality: 
Date: Buoy: Station: Atmosphere: Objects: Angles: ° ' "’: Objects Ob- 
served: Time: h. m. Depth: Fath. Feet: Reduced Sounding: Feet: 
Character of Bottom: Persons Present. 
On the right hand page: Odservers: Sextants: Description of Sta- 
tion: Ranges. 
Each page has twenty-seven blue lines ruled across it. This 
printed form precludes the chance of forgetting desirable information. 
It also creates uniformity in the details obtained. 
The indexing is done in a book which is 8 by 10% inches in size. 
Each page contains space for twenty-five buoy numbers, and is so 
ruled as to admit of each buoy being entered by volume and page, 
five times. Should a sixth entry of the buoy be found necessary, the 
buoy number would be carried to the rear of the book, and such fact 
noted. ‘The index is numerical, and each double page presents to 
the eye successive fifties, instead of successive alphabetical letters. 
After exhausting the lines, we begin again and run-the index down, 
beginning at 1,300, and so on through the book. Should an inquiry 
arise as to how often any point has been visited, we have simply to 
look at the number of the buoy, turn to the index, and the number 
of entries, by volume and page, shows at a glance what we wish to 
know and where to find all the details. 
