158 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISIL AND FISHERIES. [42] 



adapted its speed to the motions of. the vessel so skillfully that the; 

 danger from the heavy swell was reduced to the minimum. 



Serial temperatures and water specimens were taken both yesterday 

 and to-day. A reference to the table will show that we encountered 

 the intervening strata of warm and cold water so marked in this region, 

 and which, in former years, caused us to distrust our instruments on 

 many occasions. The meager results from surface towing and from the 

 trawl wings was remarked by the naturalists. The last haul was taken 

 after dark by aid of the electric light, which enabled us to work with 

 practically the same facility as in broad daylight. At 9.40 p. m. started; 

 for Wood's Holl, arriving at meridian on the 22d. 



Boiler-makers were at work until the 19th of September, when at 4,10' 

 p. m. we left port for an off-shore dredging trip. At 9.02 a. m. the fol 

 lowing day we sounded in 1,342 fathoms, globigerina ooze, latitude 39° 

 29' N., longitude 70° 58' 40" W., and at 9.38 put over the beam trawl, 

 veering to 1,900 fathoms of rope. It was up again at 1.03 p. m., the 

 net containing a large number of specimens. It was cast again at 2.44 

 p. m. in 1,451 fathoms, latitude 39° 22' 20" N., longitude 70° 52' 20" 

 W. The bottom specimen brought up in the Sigsbee cup was the same 

 as that of the former cast, but the trawl contained a granite stone weigh 

 ing 170 pounds, several small stones, small pieces of cinder, and lumps 

 of hard clay ; there Avere also several small specimens of what appeared 

 to be oxidized iron. The haul was very successful, being particularly 

 rich in foraminifera. As soon as the trawl was up, a set of serial tem 

 peratures and specific gravities was taken to 1,000 fathoms. A tem 

 perature of 66° Fahr. was found at 25 fathoms, 65^° Fahr. at 60 fathoms, 

 and 57JO Fahr. at 40 fathoms. These strata of cold and warm water 

 are the rule rather than the exception in this locality, but thinking 

 that possibly the observation at 40 fathoms had been read incorrectly, 

 it was verified, using another instrument which registered 55^° Fahr, 

 At 8.22 ]). m. we started ahead S. J W. (magnetic), running on that 

 course till 5.30 a. m., October 1, when we sounded in 1,917 fathoms, 

 latitude 37° 56' 20" ¥., longitude 70^ 57' 30" W., bottom globigerina 

 ooze, and at 6.18 put the beam trawl over, veering to 2,600 fathoms. It 

 was on the bottom at 8.04, and at 9.04 we began heaving in, landing it 

 on the deck at 10.42 a. m., having made a successful haul. While the 

 trawl was down we picked up a piece of drift board painted on one 

 side and whitewashed on the other, a 3-inch pine plank, and a piece of 

 pine timber 10 inches square and about 30 feet in length. They had 

 been in the water from four to six weeks. 



At 2.08 p. m. the beam trawl wa« lowered again, in 2,^21 fathoms 

 latitude 37° 40' 30" N., longitude 70° 37' 30" W. • It was down with 

 3,000 fathoms of rope out at 4.03 j). m., dragging till 5.14 p. m., and was 

 landed after a successful haul at 7.24 p. m. Light to moderate winds 

 prevailed, beginning at SSW., and veering round the compass during 

 the day. At 7.34 p. m. started ahead SSB. (magnetic), ran till 3.26 a. 



