REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
LI 
square geographical miles. The beam trawl and naturalist’s dredge 
were frequently used upon all the banks for the purpose of determining 
the characteristics and conditions of the bottom as feeding-ground and 
its comparative richness in different places. The assemblage of ani- 
mals collected strongly recalls the fanna of the great fishing-banks of 
eastern North America, and many of the species from both regions will 
probably prove to be identical. The more conspicuous features of the 
hauls were the fishes, crustaceans, mollusks, and echinoderms. Edible 
fishes, crabs, and shrimps were frequently taken, the last mentioned 
often in great numbers. The regular trials for fishes were made entirely 
with hand lines, cod and halibut being the principal species taken. 
Six to nine lines were generally used at each trial, which occupied 
from fifteen minutes to an hour or more, according to circumstances. 
Salt clams and salmon were chiefly employed as bait, and pollock, scul- 
pins, and cod occasionally. The depths in which the fishing was done 
ranged from 27 to 84 fathoms, and every variety of bottom observed 
upon the banks was tried. A careful record was kept of the number of 
cod and halibut captured at each trial, and of their weight and size. 
The trials were usually made during the progress of, or subsequent to, 
a sounding or dredge haul, the steamer often drifting with the tide and 
changing its location before the hooks had touched bottom. The 
results were, therefore, not as satisfactory as they would have been had 
the steamer anchored and remained for some time in each position, as 
the fishermen consider that the large cod, as a rule, are the last to be 
attracted by the bait. In conducting lines of soundings, however, it is 
inexpedient to make long detentions, and it was regarded a;s most im- 
portant that the hydrograpic work should be completed first. 
The cod taken off Unalaska averaged from 21 to 28 j inches in length; 
on Davidson Bank, 24J to 28 inches; on Sannak Bank, 23J to 25 
inches; off CJnga, one of the Shumagin Islands, 30 inches; on Sliuma- 
gin Bank, 26 J inches; and near the Chirikoff Islands, 23f inches. The 
best captures were made, however, on Albatross and Portlock banks. 
On the former, 47 cod, averaging 28J inches, were caught in the space 
of thirty-eight minutes off Tugidak Island, and 60 cod, averaging 30f 
inches, in fifty minutes off Dangerous Gape. In a depth of 36 fathoms, 
on Portlock Bank, 30 cod, averaging 27 inches, were secured in eighteen 
minutes. The bait question presents no difficulties on the Alaskan 
coast, and the fishermen generally have no trouble in obtaining what 
they need during the progress of their work. 
While the Albatross made no investigations in Bering Sea, sufficient 
information was obtained from the fishermen to prove the advisability 
of extending the inquiries into that region. 
WASHINGTON AND OREGON. 
Investigations were conducted along the coasts of these two States 
during September and October, 1888, and June, 1889. In May, 1889, 
the Albatross was placed at the disposition of the Senate Committee 
