440 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
ship, however, many fine fish having been taken, the species identical 
with those of George Island. The entrance to the lagoon is hidden at 
the distance of a few miles by low rocky ledges nearly awash at high 
water, the channel lying between them and the shore. Our boats found 
no difficulty in crossing the bar at half tide. We were under way 
again at 3:15 p. m., steaming to the northward. Four hauls of the 
trawl were made during the evening, the surface net being put over at 
each cast, and at 9 p. m. we came to in 19 fathoms for the night. We 
were in the open gulf with no immediate protection by land, yet the sea 
was perfectly smooth and the vessel as quiet as though she had been 
securely moored in the snuggest harbor in the gulf. 
It was foggy from 2 to 4 a. in., on the 26th, with drizzling rain, and 
the land was obscured at daylight, but we felt our way with the lead, 
finally anchoring at 7:20 a. m. 3J miles below Shoal Point. Collectors 
and seining parties were sent on shore, returning atl p. m. with a few 
birds arid fish, but they reported the region almost barren of life. We 
were under way again at 3 p. m., made three hauls of the4rawl over a 
clean, sand bottom with but little life, and at 4:55 anchored in 11 fath- 
oms, Direction Hill bearing N. W. f N., 7.5 miles distant. Trial lines 
were put over, and large numbers of squeteague and sea bass were 
taken. The former averaged about 10 pounds in weight, and the latter 
ranged from 70 to 150 pounds. So many were taken that I was obliged 
to put a stop to the fishing. A gill net was set during the evening, but 
was soon wrecked by a shark which dashed in to secure a squeteague 
already enmeshed. Sharks and dogfish were found throughout the 
gulf in sufficient numbers to make gill-net fishing impracticable. The 
region about our anchorage was examined with a view of detecting the 
presence of shad, but the seine, beam trawl, and gill net failed to capture 
a single specimen. 
Colorado River to Guay mas . — The fishermen having returned to the 
ship, we got under way at 3:20 on the morning of the 27th and steamed 
to the southward in the direction of Consag Rock, taking soundings, 
serial temperatures, and specific gravities at intervals of 8 or 10 miles. 
The results will be found in the table accompanying this report. Arriv- 
ing off the rock at 7 a. m., three hauls of the trawl were made in 
the vicinity, while the naturalists were examining the shores. A soft, 
gray mud filled the trawl net to such an extent that much time was con- 
sumed in landing it after some of the hauls. The naturalists found but 
little life on or near the rocks, and the fish paid absolutely no attention 
to a baited hook. Consag Rock is conical in form, entirely barren, and 
is the resort of sea birds and sea lions. 
At 8:30 we steamed to the southward, taking an occasional haul of 
the trawl, the mud of the bottom becoming softer and more barren as 
we approached the western shore. An excellent anchorage in 7 fathoms 
was reached at 6:15 p. m. off the south side of San Luis Island. The 
western portion of the island is composed of dark-red lava rock, while 
