200 BULLETIN OF THE MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 



and I can conceive of no better use for so fii»e a vessel than to explore a 

 belt of 20° latitude north and south of the equator in the Pacific, from 

 the west coast of Central America to the East Indian Archipelago. 



The success of the " Albatross " thus far has depended entirely upon 

 the zeal, energy, intelligence, foretliought, and devotion of Captain Tan- 

 ner, if I may judge of the past by the present. He never spares himself, 

 and he is always ready to make the most of the time at his disposal for 

 the benefit of the special object he has in chai'ge. He looks after every 

 haul of the trawl himself, and will not allow any one else to jeopard 

 in any way the material of the vessel, or the time it requires to make a 

 haul. That responsibility he assumes himself, and it constitutes his 

 daily work. In looking over the records of the "Albatross" during her 

 voyage from New York to San Francisco, I am struck with the amount 

 of work which has been accomplished. It would be but a just return 

 to Captain Tanner, if Congress would make the necessary appropria- 

 tions to work up and publish all that he has brought together, not 

 only on that cruise, but also what has been left untouched thus far of 

 the immense collections made by hira in the Caribbean, and off the 

 east coast of the United States, to say nothing of his explorations in 

 the Gulf of California, on the coast of California, on the coast of Alaska, 

 and in the Behring Sea, from which he has accumulated endless and 

 most interesting material, which no other ship could get together unless 

 she had another Tanner in command. 



We reached Guaymas on the 23d of April, in the afternoon, and I 

 parted from the ship with great regret, but more than satisfied with the 

 results of this expedition. 



Allow me, in concluding, to thank you most cordially for having given 

 me the opportunity to join the " Albatross " on this extended cruise, and 

 for your kindness in urging the President to allow the vessel to be 

 detailed for this work. 



As soon as it may become practicable, T shall send you a full resume 

 of our work, accompanied with sketches of the Tanner tow-net and a 

 detailed chart of the route we followed. 



Very respectfully yours, 



ALEXANDER AGASSIZ. 



Cambridge, May, 1891. 



