1915] Michael, ct ah: Hjidrngriipliic Fccords of Scripps Institution 7 



the vessel to the station. She was tlien taken to San Francisco, re- 

 fitted and equipped with scientific gear, returning to San Diego in 

 time for the summer's work of 1905. The "Loma" was kept in active 

 service, making plankton and dred.ge collections, until she was wrecked 

 off the lighthoiLse on Point Loma in July, 1906. While plans for a 

 new boat were entered into directly, it was not until August, 1907, 

 that the "Alexander Agassiz" was launched and not until June, 1908, 

 that she began active work, recourse being had in the meantime to 

 Captain Cabral and his fishing-boat, the "St. Joseph." 



2. THE REGION TO BE SURVEYED 



Proljably the most important consideration leading to the estab- 

 lishment of the "station" south in.stead of north of San Pedro con- 

 sisted in the selection and limitation of the territory to be siirveyed. 

 After careful examination (Ritter, 1905), an irregularly triangular 

 area extending from Point Conception, 34° 27' N, at the north to a 

 base line extending westward from the southern boundary of the United 

 States 32° 28' N, bounded on the east by the coast line, and on the 

 west by the meridian of Point Conception, 120° 25' W, was selected. 

 The shore line of this area, exclusive of the islands, is about 280 miles. 

 The lengtli of the western side is about 120 miles, and that of its 

 southern side about 19-t miles. The area, therefore, contains over 

 11,600 square miles. Some of the important qualifications of thi^ 

 area are: (1) a considerable extent of continental shelf, presenting a 

 large diversity of bottom with numerous islands, shoals, and submarine 

 valleys; (2) proximity to es.sentially oceanic conditions ; (3) a climate 

 so equable as to make it practicable to conduct investigations at almost 

 any time during the year; and (4) a large variety of shore line readily 

 accessible by boat or rail. 



It is, of course, not to be supposed that a stone wall has been built 

 about this area, but rather that it makes a well-defined base of opera- 

 tions. As a matter of fact, the southern boundary has been altered in 

 order to include Los Coronados Islands and the Cortez Banks, at both 

 of which places considerable work has been done. In 1908, an expedi- 

 tion southward as far as Guadalupe and Cerros islands was made, and, 

 in 1912, another to the north as far as Puget Sound. 



