REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF INVERTEBRATES. 133 



Gulf Stream slope, about 200 miles south of New England, and twelve 

 hauls obtained from depths of 594 to 1,867 fathoms. While returning 

 to Washington, the latter part of October, a successful series of dredg- 

 ings was carried along the same slope, off the Virginia coast, in depths 

 of 679 to 1,685 fathoms. Early in April, when giving instructions in 

 the use of the dredging apparatus to the officers of the U. S. S. Thetis, 

 several hauls were made in about 15 fathoms of water, directly in front 

 of Fortress Monroe, Virginia. The total number of dredgings made 

 during the summer and fall was fifty-six (stations 2680-2735), in depths 

 varying from 72 to 1,867 fathoms, and a large amount of valuable ma- 

 terial was obtained. The large beam-trawl was almost exclusively em- 

 ployed, and with uniform success. 



Mr. James E. Benedict, who had acted as chief naturalist of the Al- 

 batross since it first went into commission, resigned his position in Au- 

 gust, to engage in business, and was succeeded by Mr. Thomas Lee, 

 who had already served with the steamer about a year. Mr. Sanderson 

 Smith also accompanied the steamer on all its cruises, taking special 

 charge of the Mollusca. 



The Fish Commission schooner Grampus, commanded by Capt. J. 

 W. Collins, remained in active service during the entire year, and its 

 explorations covered an exceedingly wide area. Collecting was done 

 mostly by means of hooks and lines, but during April and May, while 

 following the movements of the early school of mackerel, on the south- 

 ern grounds, the towing-net was frequently employed at the surface in 

 obtaining specimens of mackerel food. The results of this cruise, when 

 fully worked up, will prove very instructive. 



The Fish Commission station at Wood's Holl. Massachusetts, was 

 open from early in July until the middle of October, and became for 

 that period the headquarters of the steamer Albatross, where its col- 

 lections were landed and studied. The Commissioner was present 

 during the entire season, and retained general direction of the scientific 

 work. Prof. A. E. Verrill took charge of the biological laboratory, 

 while able to be present, or for about two months, the same duty being 

 assigned to the curator at other times. The regular laboratory party 

 was constituted as follows : Prof. S. I. Smith, of Yale College ; Mr. 

 Sanderson Smith, of New York ; Mr. John A. Eyder, of Washington ; 

 Prof. L. A. Lee, of Bowdoin College, Maine; Prof. E.Linton, of Wash- 

 ington and Jefferson College, Pennsylvania ; Prof. B. F. Koons, of the 

 Storrs Agricultural College, Connecticut; Mr. Peter Parker, jr., of 

 Washington, in charge of the fishes; Mr. J. Henry Blake, of Cam- 

 bridge, Massachusetts, as artist; Mr. A. H. Baldwin and Miss M. J. 

 Eathbun, the curator's assistants ; and Miss A.J. Bush and Miss C. E. 

 Bush, assistants of Professor Verrill. The chemical and physical labor- 

 atory was under Dr. J. H. Kidder, as in previous years ; and Mr. W. P. 

 Seal, of Philadelphia, had charge of the aquaria, which, under his 

 arrangement, became very useful adjuncts to our work. Tables in the 



