MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 293 



trawl, which, when moved rapidly over the ground, at the rate Bome- 

 times of two to two and a half miles an hour, invariably brought up a 

 fine harvest of Fishes and Crustacea, in addition to the usual contents of 

 the sedentary and more sluggish forms. Although the deep-sea tow- 

 net was used several times, we never brought up any of the so-called 

 deep-sea Siphonophoraj of Studcr, even in localities where they came 

 up on the wire rope. 



Captain Sigsbee's new sounding-machine worked admirably, and he 

 has every reason to be entirely satisfied with the improvements he has 

 made upon his former machine. 



We carried 6,000 fathoms of new, galvanized steel-wire rope, 1-iV" 

 dianiotoi', made by the Roebling Sons' Co., which, owing to its greater (Latt O-x.'v^A 

 pliability, proved even more satisfactory than the wire rope used on the 

 last cruise. The steel-wire rope continued during our whole cruise to 

 give complete satisfaction, and enabled us, as in the previous year, to 

 work with the greatest possible rapidity consistent with safety and with 

 the proper handling of the trawls and dredges. 



We usually lowered in deep water at the rate of four to four and a 

 half or five minutes per 100 fathoms, and reeled in at the same rate. 

 In the many places where we found rough or rocky bottom we used a 

 flat bar of six-foot beam, to which rings were attached for fastening 

 tangles and a shot. This bar, with from a dozen to fifteen bundles of 

 tangles, proved perhaps our most effective machine in rough bottoms. 

 It rarely fouled, as the dredges or ti-awls are so apt to do, when working 

 over unfavorable ground. The region over which we chiefly worked 

 this year extended from St. Thomas to Trinidad. Over a limited area 

 like this it was possible to cover the ground very satisfactorily. The 

 work done off" the principal islands began usually at the 100-fathom line, 

 and extended into the deepest water off the lee side of the Caribbean 

 Islands. But little could be done in the way of di'edging in the passages 

 between the islands or to the windward of them, owing to the strong 

 trades. While working off Barbadoes we undoubtedly obtained a fair 

 representation of the fauna to the windward of the Caribbean Islands, 

 which does not seem to differ from that of the lee side. 



During this season we occupied no less than 200 stations, and made 

 over 230 hauls from the 100-fathom line to the depth of 2,412 fixthoms. 

 A few hauls were occasionally made in shallow water, but they formed 

 nt) part of our regular scheme. Although we have obtained from the 

 West India Islands some of the most interesting Invertebrates, 3-et we 

 did not lind the fauna of the eastern extremity of the Caribbean Sea 



