516 FISHEKIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [4] 



were carried down to a depth of 700 fathoms, with equally interesting results. The 

 first report of these investigations was published by Mr. Pourtales in December, 1867, 

 being a brief account of the first year's work, with descriptions of many of the 

 species of animals obtained. More complete reports have since been issued by the 

 Museum of Comparative Zoology of Harvard College, under which auspices nearly 

 all of the deep-sea dredging of the Coast Survey on the eastern and southern coasts 

 of the United States have been accomplished. The relations which have long existed 

 between this Museum and the Coast Survey are more fully discussed in connection 

 with our account of the former institution. 



During 1871 and 1872, the Coast Survey steamer Hassler, which had been built 

 for service on the western coast, made her trip from the Atlantic coast to San Fran- 

 cisco, via Cape Horn, having on board Prof. Louis Agassiz and a party of naturalists, 

 including Mr. Pourtales, in charge of dredging operations. Arrangements had been 

 made whereby such natural-history explorations as would not interfere with the 

 regular work of the survey might be carried on in the course of the long voyage. 

 The expenses of the civilian party were paid by private subscriptions raised in Boston. 

 Dredgings were made mainly in the vicinity of the Barbadoes, and along the east and 

 west coasts of South America, and collections were also obtained from the surface and 

 from the shores wherever the vessel touched. The principal points of interest visited 

 were St. Thomas, the Barbadoes, Kio de Janeiro, Montevideo, the Straits of Magellan, 

 many places on the west coast of South America, Juan Fernandez, the Galapagos, 

 and Panama. 



In 1872, 1873, and 1874, for a short period each summer, the Coast Survey steamer 

 "Bache" was detailed for dredging work in the Gulf of Maine, in the interest of the 

 United States Fish Commission. These were the first series of off-shore dredgings 

 made on this section of the coast, and they were carried down to a depth of 430 fathoms. 



In 1877 began that most interesting series of explorations by the Coast Survey 

 steamer "Blake," during which the methods of deep-sea dredging and sounding were 

 so greatly improved, as has been described above. The dredging operations were in 

 charge of Mr. Alexander Agassiz. The first cruise, during which Commander Sigs- 

 bee, United States Navy, was in charge of the vessel, lasted from December, 1877, to 

 March, 1878, and extended from Key West to Havana, and thence westward along the 

 north coast of Cuba ; from Key West to the Tortugas, the northern extremity of the 

 Yucatan Bank and Alacran Keef, to Cape Catoche, and across to Cape San Antonio ; 

 thence back to Key West , and from there to the mouth of the Mississippi Eiver. 

 Seventy-nine casts were made, the deepest being in 1,920 fathoms. During the second 

 cruise, from December, 1878, to March, 1879, under Commander Bartlett, United States 

 Navy, dredgings were made from Key West to Havana ; thence to Jamaica, through the 

 old Bahama Channel and Windward Passage, and from Jamaica to St. Thomas, along 

 the south coasts of Hayti and Porto Eico. From St. Thomas the dredgings were con- 

 tinued southward as far as the 100-fathom line off Trinidad. This season over 200 suc- 

 cessful casts of the dredge and trawl were made in all depths down to 2,412 fathoms, 

 The third cruise, from February to May, 1880, covered the western Caribbean Sea, be- 

 tween Cuba, Jamaica, and Honduras; 22 hauls were made, the deepest in 961 fathoms. 

 The fourth cruise, during the summer of 1880, was devoted to running several lines of 

 soundings and dredgiugs off the Atlantic coast of the United States, between George's 

 Bank and the latitude of Charleston, in depths of 24 to 1,632 fathoms; 47 dredge and 

 trawl hauls were made. 



The general scientific results of these explorations have been published by Mr. 

 Agassiz in several reports, contained in the Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative 

 Zoology, and special descriptive reports on many of the groups of animals obtained 

 have also been issued. 



Many of the Coast Survey tidal observers, stationed at different places along both 

 the east and west coasts, have contributed largely to a knowledge of the marine fauna 

 in the vicinity of their stations. Among these have been several trained collectors 



