XXXII EEPORT OF COMMISSIONEE OF FISH AND FISHEKIES. 



to report their season's work, names of owners, amount of fish taken, 

 &c., both on the Potomac and in the Chesapeake. Lieutenant Wood 

 was further directed to examine various points with a view to propa- , 

 gating Spanish mackerel and the oyster. The vessel arrived at Fair- 

 port, Va., on this mission June 6, and at Cherrystone, Ya., June 12, 

 which terminated this part of the investigation. An abstract of the 

 information obtained concerning the pound-nets in the Potomac will be 

 found in the Fish Commission Bulletin for 1883, pages 278-280. A call 

 was made at Hampton upon Professor Brooks, who was found at his 

 laboratory experimenting upon oysters. 



The vessel arrived at York Spit June 18, and commenced prospect- 

 ing for Spanish mackerel. On the 21st the first ripe spawn was obtained, 

 and the vessel was continuously engaged in this work until the 3d of 

 August. An account of the work and of some new apparatus which 

 was employed will be found in two papers in the appendix, one by 

 Lieutenant Wood and the other by Dr. J. Alban Kite. 



On the 13th of July the vessel was anchored oft' Ocean Beach, near 

 Hampton Eoads. That evening a sudden heavy storm caused the ves- 

 sel to drag her anchor and blew her ashore. Assistance was obtained on 

 the 14th from the Baker Wrecking Company, of Norfolk, and at differ- 

 ent times from the Army "tug Monroe, the U. S. S. Pinta, the tug Snow- 

 drop, the revenue-cutter Ewing, and the lighthouse tender Holly. AL 

 5 a. m. on the morning of July 18 the ship was floated. Fortunately it 

 was found that but little injury had been done. 



On the 5th of August the vessel was coaled in Baltimore, and on the 

 13th an unsuccessful attempt was made to get some more Spanish mack- 

 erel eggs. After being delayed at Hampton by bad weather until the 

 17th Lieutenant Wood proceeded, by way of Sandy Hook and Hell 

 Gate, to Wood's Holl, where he arrived on the evening of August 20. 

 On the 22d the vessel sailed for a trawling trip to the edge of the Gulf 

 Stream. Several stations were made, and the vessel returned to Wood's 

 Holl on August 24. 



The Decatur H. Miller, of the Merchants and Miners' Transportation 

 Line, being reported ashore in Vineyard Sound September 23, Lieu- 

 tenant Wood immediately went to her assistance, finding already there 

 the Coast Survey steamer Blake and the revenue steamer Dexter. By 

 their joint action the vessel was floated the same evening. The serv- 

 ices of the Fish Hawk in connection with the relief of the Decatur H. 

 Miller were formally acknowledged by the secretary of the company. 



The Fish Hawk remained with headquarters at Wood's Holl until 

 October 16, when she took on board certain freight for Washington. 

 Having called, at Newport to coal and at New York for provisions and 

 stores and 100 live lobsters to be deposited in Chesapeake Bay, she 

 arrived at the capes October 27 and at Washington on the 30th. An 

 account of the transfer and successful plant of the lobsters near Fort 

 Wool will be found in the Bulletin for 1884, page 16. 



