454 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
specimens of which were preserved. Both land and sea birds were 
very plentiful. Among the former were the raven, wren, snipe, stilt, 
dove, and owl. Sea birds literally covered the ground and bushes in 
certaiu localities, the man-of-war hawk, tropic bird, and three species 
of booby being the most numerous. A snake was seen on shore, and 
one or two green turtles in the surf, but none were captured. Grass- 
hoppers, mosquitoes, and spiders were plentiful, and several species of 
the latter as well as inauy specimens of a species of lizard were secured. 
The waters around the island were swarming with fish, of which 46 
species were taken, 20 at least being edible, and several were seen that 
we failed to capture. Sharks abounded in great numbers, and when- 
ever we lowered a boat from three to half a dozen were on hand to look 
it over and follow it. If a line, large or small, was thrown over from 
the rail they were ready to take it, and if by chance a smaller fish sue- 
ceeded in capturing the bait there was a race between fishermen and 
shark for the prize, the latter getting his full share, including hooks 
and lines. Another source of loss was attributable to the fish them- 
selves, several species having small mouths armed with powerful teeth, 
with which they snapped off the hooks when taking the bait. The 
method we found to be most* successful was to fish in comparatively 
shoal water, where the bottom and the fish near by could be distinctly 
seen. Then by careful watching and dexterous manipulation of the 
line we were able in a great measure to select our species. 
Leaving Sulphur Bay we steamed around the west end of the island, 
passing Monument Rock, a remarkable formation 200 feet in height. 
Its massive rectangular base is surmounted by a shaft, nearly square, 
composed of alternate strata of red and white rock. 
Clarion Island to Socorro Island. — Deep-sea soundings were continued, 
developing a depth of 2,012 fathoms 80 miles from the island, a little 
more than a chird of the distance to Socorro. We made the latter 
% 
island on the evening of the 7th, and steaming toward it under low 
speed during the night, arrived in Braithwaite Bay soon after daylight, 
March 8. The naturalists, with large parties of volunteers and de- 
tails from the crew, left the ship soon after we anchored, some of them 
landing, others fishing from boats and seining. 
Socorro is the largest island in the group, being about 9J miles in 
length and 8 in breadth. The central peak reaches an elevation of 
3,707 feet, and its general features are identical with those of Clarion 
Island. We fouud no fresh water except in small rock pools, the largest 
not exceeding a gallon, the result of ‘recent rains, which would be 
evaporated by two or three days 7 exposure to the sun. Unmistakable 
evidences of the existence of numbers of goats were seen in tracks and 
beaten trails on every hand, but the animals themselves were not vis- 
ible. Doubtless they were feeding in the vicinity of water, and visited 
the east end of the island only when heavy rains replenished the rock 
pools before mentioned sufficiently to furnish them a supply. The fer* 
