INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 279 
moving south the whales are invariably fat, containing 50 per cent 
more oil than on the return north. Twenty-one men and nine boats are 
employed at this station during the whaling season. Only two men 
are retained in the summer, to look after the boats and buildings. 
The crew receives a lay of one-fiftieth, the harpooner or shooter (the 
harpoon being fired from a gun) one-sixteenth. 
From San Simeon Bay to and beyond Point Conception, whiting, red 
rockfish, black-cod, and deep-sea sole were taken in nearly every haul 
of the beam trawl, but not many specimens at any one time. Windy 
weather prevented the hand lines from being used successfully. One 
morning was spent in seining on the beach at Santa Barbara; vivipa- 
rous perch were the predominating species. Summer is the best season 
for fishing in this vicinity. Crab nets were set in various places for 
the purpose of capturing specimens of the salt-water crayfish, but none 
were obtained, as this species is rare in the immediate neighborhood of 
Santa Barbara. The fishermen obtain their supplies about 11 miles 
farther south and among the outlying islands. 
Fishing was next resumed in Monterey Bay, on the return trip toward 
San Francisco, and the work was actively carried on with several kinds 
of apparatus. Perch and smelt were taken in considerable numbers in 
the drag seines. One smallstriped bass* was also captured by the same 
means, and it is thought that this is the most southern point from which 
this species has been recorded. Gill nets and a cod trawl were set 
about 14 miles from the anchorage in the harbor. One barracuda was 
taken in the former, but no fishes were secured with the latter, although 
starfishes of several species were attached to the hooks. The winter 
fishing-ground is from 5 to 6 miles farther off shore, but in very fine 
weather red rockfish are frequently caught close to the head of the bay. 
The Monterey fishermen generally fish in winter on grounds contiguous 
to the southern entrance to the bay. Those at Santa Cruz resort to a 
small rocky bank which lies a short distance southerly from Santa 
Cruz light. This bank is also extensively fished on in the summer. 
Gill nets and drag seines are employed on sandy bottoms and smooth 
beaches in different parts of the bay. 
Fish of all kinds were unusually scarce the past winter in Monterey 
Bay. This was supposed to be due to the very extensive rainfall which 
had taken place. This bay seems to be much affected by storms. 
Twenty-four hours after a heavy rain the surface becomes covered with 
muddy water, which has the effect of driving the fish away, but they 
return shortly after the storm has subsided. Continuously stormy 
weather has a tendency to keep the fish away for comparatively long 
periods, frequently for a week or ten days at atime. Notwithstanding 
this fact, however, Monterey Bay is one of the most productive fishing- 
grounds on the California coast. 
* Roccus lineatus, introduced from the Atlantic and now becoming common. 
