REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 99. 
Florida. The majority of these surveys have been very thorough, af- 
fording much desired information regarding the natural features of 
a large number of lakes and rivers, in respect to which fish-cultural 
operations have been undertaken or proposed. 
The Woods Holl laboratory has been open continuously during the 
entire period, a competent scientific expert having been employed to 
study the biological questions which are constantly arising in con- 
nection with the hatching work conducted at this station. During 
both summers the facilities of the laboratory have also been extended, 
as in former years, to a large number of naturalists, some of whom 
have given their attention exclusively to the Fish Commission work. 
Many special observations have been made on the life history of the 
seacoast fishes, and interesting experiments have been conducted rela- 
tive to their artificial propagation. One result of these inquiries has 
been to demonstrate conclusively that the attempts recently made to 
increase the supply of cod on some parts of the New England coast 
have met with complete success. Not only has the number of fish aug- 
mented from year to year, but schools of this species are making their 
appearance in many places where they had never been seen before. 
Twelve other species of fishes have also been studied to a greater or 
less extent, the greatest amount of progress having been made with 
respect to the sea bass and Spanish mackerel. A thorough investiga- 
tion into the life history of the lobster is likewise now being made. 
PACIFIC COAST. 
The steamer Albatross was at work on the coasts of Washington 
and Oregon at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30,-1889, and 
on July 8 following left Tacoma, Wash., with several members of 
the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to visit the principal 
Indian settlements in southeastern Alaska. The trip was made by 
way of the inland passages and extended as far as Sitka and Juneau. 
It terminated July 28, and the Albatross then started for Bering Sea, 
but when only a few days out the port engine became disabled, and she 
was obliged to return to Seattle for repairs. When these had been 
completed the season was too far advanced to warrant making the long 
passage to Alaska, and the steamer again took up the investigations 
off Washington, carrying them southward along the coasts of Oregon 
and California as far as Cape Mendocino. During the following winter 
repairs were made at the Mare Island navy-yard, and during March 
and April, 1890, the region between Point Arena and Point Conception 
was examined, thereby nearly completing the preliminary survey of 
the California coast. 
On May 5, 1890, the Albatross left San Francisco and proceeded to 
Alaska, where several months were spent in defining the fishing-grounds 
and in determining the physical and natural-history features of the 
