INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 2s 
September 1 was an unusually clear day, and the sea was compara- 
tively smooth. The time was spent on Heceta Bank and vicinity, many 
soundings being taken to determine the extent of the 40-fathom patch. 
The beam trawl] was used successfully, although the bottom was rough, 
and when it was too rocky for the trawl] the tangles were brought into 
requisition. Poats were lowered and hand lines used on different parts 
of the bank. The result of the day’s operations may be stated as fol- 
lows: The area of the 40-fathom patch on Heceta Bank is very small. 
Beam trawl and trawl-line fishing are impracticable on the rougher 
portions of the bank. Hand lines from boats will meet with the best 
results. Fishes and invertebrates were almost identical with those 
taken last season, but dogfish had not reached the bank in great num- 
bers. The list of food-fishes will be found in the table of fishing 
stations. 
An interesting haul of the beam trawl was made after dark in 93 
fathoms, green mud, a few miles inshore of the bank. One hundred 
flounders were taken, representing four species; and also large num- 
bers of rock-cod, one black-cod, one cultus cod, and several species 
of small fish. Holothurians and other invertebrates were found in iarge 
numbers. In a subsequent haul in 61 fathoms, green mud and sand, 
made befween 8 and 9 p. m., 200 flounders were taken, besides other 
species. Considering the size of the trawl (11 feet beam) and the dura- 
tion of the haul, which did not exceed 20 minutes, it must be conceded 
that the region is rich in the various species of flatfishes and rock-cod. 
September 2 and 3 were spent in the examination of the region over 
which we had recently sounded. The beam trawl and hand lines were 
used, the different species of flatfish, rock-cod, ete., being found gen- 
erally distributed along the coast. There was a uniform bottom of fine 
gray sand to a depth of about 40. fathoms, when green mud began to 
show, increasing in proportion until at 60 fathoms there was but little 
sand. One exception to the uniform character of bottom was a small 
bank or rocky patch lying SSW. 4 W. magnetic, 19 miles from Yaquina 
light-house. The least water found was 42 fathoms, clay and mud bot- 
tom, with frequent rocky or stony patches, covering an area of about 
40 square miles. Several specimens of the rocks were brought up in 
the beam trawl—water-worn bowlders of blue limestone, weighing from 
50 to 200 pounds, bearing evidence of drift deposit. The entire suriace 
of the stones was honeycombed by borers and covered with a mass of 
life, including small cup corals, sponges, trachiopods, annelids, mol- 
lusks, ophiurans, ete. The weather was very boisterous during our 
exploration of the bank, which prevented a satisfactory examination 
regarding its fish life, but the various species of rock-cod will doubtless 
be found there in large numbers. 
Wind and sea increased during the 5d, until it became too rough to 
continue work, and as our coal was getting short we decided to go to 
Astoria fora suppiy. Slow progress was made during the night, steam- 
