INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 265 
uralists were out as usual during the day, and a number of officers 
went on a hunting expedition to Post-Office Bay, returning with eighteen 
flamingos. 
Leaving Charles Island at 1:05 a. m., April 2, we ran over to Duncan 
Island and sent parties into the mountains for tortoises. They were 
away nearly all day, and returned with a single specimen only, 
although they searched carefully over the ground where three years 
ago they were quite numerous. A few years more and they will prob- 
ably become extinet. An anchorage was found for the night in Con- 
way Bay, Indefatigable Island, where we arrived at 5 p. m., giving the 
collectors an hour or two ashore before dark. Getting under way again 
at 3:15 a. m., April 3, we steamed to the northward between James and 
Indefatigable islands, commencing work in 551 fathoms, about 7 miles 
N. by W. from the Seymour Islands, in prolongation of our line of 1888, 
extending it to Bindloe, Abingdon, and Wenman islands. Here we 
were met by another surprise; excellent results having been obtained 
from contiguous stations occupied three years previously, we naturally 
expected to find the same rich fauna in similar depths a few miles to the 
westward. We did not, however; on the contrary, the bottom was 
foul and contained comparatively little life, while the surface was 
almost barren. Hight stations were occupied between Indefatigable 
and Wenman islands in from 327 to 1,270 fathoms. 
Galapagos Islands to Acapulco and Guaymas.—From. the latter island 
a line was run to Acapulco, nineteen stations being occupied in depths 
ranging from 2,252 to 94 fathoms. The same general plan of investi- 
gation was continued and the results were satisfactory in the ocean 
basin, but upon approaching the Mexican coast the bottom became 
very barren. This condition may be attributed largely to the great 
amount of decayed and decaying vegetable matter covering the sea 
bed. Every haul of the trawl brought up quantities in every stage of 
decomposition, and occasionally the net was loaded with vegetable muck, 
which emitted a highly offensive odor. This deposit was not evenly 
distributed over the bottom, but it prevailed to a sufficient extent to 
drive animal life from the ground. The same effect was noticed between 
the Pearl Islands and the mainland in the Gulf of Panama in 1888, 
where the deposit was even greater and the odor so vile that the chief 
naturalist requested that no more of it be brought up. The Tanner net 
was used at several stations with satisfactory results. 
Surface life between the Galapagos and the Mexican coast may be 
summarized as follows: An occasional whale, porpoises, dolphins, and 
flying fish frequently seen, and green turtles in sight almost constantly 
floating on the surface. Birds were not numerous, though petrels were 
seen daily; tropic birds and boobies were noticed occasionally, besides 
gulls and other species which appeared as we approached the coast. 
We anchored in the harbor of Acapulco at 3:30 p. m., April 12, after 
a successful cruise of nine days between the Galapagos and that point. 
