INVESTIGATIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 
453 
the eastern well or smack boats, they could make quick and safe pas- 
sages to and from Cortez Bank. A week or a fortnight could be spent, 
if necessary, in obtaining a fare, and by the end of that time fish would 
still be in good preservation?, whereas the present methods compel the 
fishermen to market their fish daily to prevent their becoming unfit for 
sale. Several of the fishermen of the region have been interviewed on 
the subject, but they are not yet ready to make any change in their 
long-established customs. They now consider it only necessary to keep 
their fish protected from the sun, and to throw water on them occasion- 
ally. One fisherman asserted that he had tried a well smack unsuccess- 
fully, as the fish invariably died soon after coming to anchor in a har- 
bor ; but upon being further questioned he acknowledged that he never 
bailed out the well at such times, an operation which is considered in- 
dispensable on the Atlantic coast. The water changes naturally in the 
well, when the vessel is under way, but there is no appreciable change 
when its progress is stopped, and frequent bailing is necessary to main- 
tain its purity. 
The abundance of edible fishes on Cortez Bank, of the same species 
which now find a sale in San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, in- 
dicates that the resources of this bank are sufficient to supply the south- 
ern California markets for some time. The deeper unexplored waters 
about the bank will probably also add to its importance as a fishing 
region, but the fishermen are not yet prepared to fish in depths over 
100 fathoms, having no knowledge of hurdy-gurdies and other conven- 
iences of the Atlantic coast. 
Seventeen and one-half miles ETSTW. from Bishop’s Bock is another 
small fishing ground discovered by the Albatross , which has been called 
“ Tanner Bank ” by the Superintendent of the Coast Survey. It has an 
area of about 17 square miles, and between it and Cortez Bank depths 
of 150 to 250 fathoms have been found. 
January 17, sounding, dredging, and fishing were carried on continu- 
ously over Cortez Bank. Seven trials with the hand lines, from a 
quarter to half an hour in duration, were made during the day, result- 
ing in the capture of 95 fish. The first was at hydrographic station 1631, 
47 fathoms, where 1 white fish and 1 yellow-tail were caught. The sec- 
ond was at hydrographic station 1632, 26 fathoms, where 15 whitefish, 5 
red rock-cod, and two fat-heads were taken. These fish ejected their food 
in coming to the surface, and their stomachs were empty when exam- 
ined. One cultus-cod, 1 yellow-tail, 2 red rock-cod, and 1 whitefish were 
the total results of about 20 minutes’ fishing at hydrographic station 
1633, depth 43 fathoms. The fish took the bait less eagerly than on the 
preceding trials, and we observed that the vessel had drifted from places 
where we were hauling them u pair and pair” into others where not a 
single bite would be felt. The bank seemed to have many spots or 
ridges where all the species mentioned occurred in great abundance, 
