INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 
425 
channel, where the bottom is composed of soft green mud, were almost 
barren of life. We lay to for the night within range of Point Concep- 
tion light, and at daylight set the trawl line near the shore, but caught 
nothing of consequence. A line of shoal-water dredgings was then 
run to the southward, which developed considerable life,* but no “live 
bottom.” The total absence of life on the surface was notable, and it 
would seem that the season alone is not sufficient to account for it. The 
presence of petroleum, which may usually be seen forming a thin film 
over the surface waters of the channel, may have something to do with 
it. We were enveloped in a dense fog from 7 a. m., but working along 
shore, where our course could be checked by soundings, it did not delay 
us materially, and half an hour after dark we anchored off Santa Bar- 
bara for the night. 
Professor Gilbert went on shore early on the following morning and 
arranged with Capt. A. Larco to make a trip with us among the islands. 
He is the principal fisherman of Santa Barbara and has followed his 
calling in that vicinity for 18 years. Being an intelligent and observing 
man, he is probably better posted regarding the fisheries of that 
channel and islands than any other one ou the coast. An accident to 
the machinery prevented the trip at this time and forced us to go to San 
Diego for repairs. Leaving the anchorage at 1:37 p. m., we arrived at 
our destination at 11:55 the following morning, January 10, when ar- 
rangements were made for immediate repairs to the disabled engine. 
Alamitos Bay and Newport Harbor . — Professor Gilbert and Mr. N. B. 
Miller took advantage of the delay to examine some of the most promising 
localities on the southern California coast for the acclimation of oysters. 
They went first to Alamitos Bay, where they found, January 12, a sur- 
face temperature of 60° Fahr., depths 6 to 12 feet, bottom of sand and 
mud, the specific gravity ranging from 1.011948 to 1.023187. The pres- 
ence of fresh water was apparent at all stations and the conditions 
would remain practically the same during the rainy season. 
Newport Harbor was examined the following day and the surface 
temperature found to be 60° Fahr., specific gravity from 1.01520 to 
1.02400, sandy bottom, with little or no mud. An examination in both 
the wet and dry seasons would be necessary in order to obtain a knowl- 
edge of the average condition of the waters throughout the year. 
Cortez Bank . — Repairs on the engine having been completed, we left 
port on the 15th and ran a line of soundings from the whistling buoy, 
off Point Loma, to Cortez Bank, developing a series of elevations and 
depressions over which the depths varied from 211 to 1,047 fathoms. 
Arriving at the bank the following morning, we commenced investiga- 
tions by sounding, dredging, and the use of hand lines. The sea was 
breaking heavily over Bishop’s Rock, which made an excellent land- 
mark, enabling us to locate ourselves on any part of the bank with cer- 
tainty and without loss of time. 
The examination was completed on the evening of the 17th, and 
