468 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
latter, and found their ovaries about as far advanced as are those of 
the common Atlantic mackerel in the latter part of March and the first 
of April. Sixty species of fish were secured at Socorro and Clariou 
Islands, and of these Professor Gilbert considered that about one-fifth 
were edible. Those eaten upon the Albatross were pronounced superior 
to any taken off the Santa Barbara Island and on Cortez Bank. The 
region is too far distant for California fishermen, however, although it 
might hold out inducements to the Mexican, but the grounds are small 
and only a few vessels could fish at a time. Whales were abundant 
around both islands, and a few porpoises were seen. 
March 10 we reached San Benedicto Island and two collecting parties 
were sent off from the ship. Fishing was practically a failure, however, 
owing to the abundance of sharks and horse-mackerel, and nothing new 
was obtained. This island, like the other two of the group, is of vol- 
canic origin. Close to our anchorage was an extinct volcano, of which 
half of the crater had been broken away, leaving the interior exposed 
to view. The top of San Benedicto is covered with high, coarse grass, 
but no cactus was found on the part examined. Sea birds and whales 
were numerous. 
San Benedicto to La Paz . — The ship left San Benedicto on the after- 
noon of the 10th, and on the morning of the 12th she arrived at Pichi- 
linque Bay, where a supply of coal was to be obtained. We fished with 
hand lines, seines, and gill nets in the different parts of the bay, but 
without much success. A menhaden gill net, set close to the ship’s 
anchorage in the evening and hauled in the morning, was badly torn by 
sharks. But little fishing is carried on at La Paz. There are three or 
four Italians who occasionally visit the islands in the bay for that pur- 
pose, and bring a few fish to market. Their trips are made with no 
regularity, but only when they have need of a little money. They use 
dugout canoes, and the fish that are not disposed of fresh are split and 
salted, and afterwards exposed for sale in a very uninviting condition. 
The markets are very simply arranged. A common table set on the 
side of the street and covered with half a dozen dirty and bad-smelling 
fish compose the fish dealer’s stock in trade. All the fish, both large 
and small, are split down the back, and the heads are left on. In the 
case of the salted ones the flesh is gashed crosswise in order that it 
may absorb the salt quickly, which is essential to its preservation. 
Several years ago a French fisherman supplied the town with fish, but 
he has since gone to -Guay mas. 
La Paz to Conception Bay and Guaymas . — Having finished coaling 
ship, we left La Paz on the morning of March 16 and proceeded north- 
ward on the peninsular side of the Gulf of California. Before anchor- 
ing for the night off the western side of San Josef Island four hauls 
were made with the seine on the adjacent shores and a few fish were 
captured. Pearl oysters and other interesting shells were dredged by 
the steamer close by. The next morning the seine was hauled several 
