-2 <A. EB. Verrili—Dredgings on the Coast of New England. 
volunteers, the funds at the disposal of the Commission being 
an sufficient to pay for the necessary apparatus and 
materials required for the purpose. Very essential aid was also 
rendered by the officers of the U. 5S. Coast Survey by accom- 
modating one party on the steamer Bache, while engaged in the 
survey of St. George’s Bank, and giving them opportunities for 
dredging in that region; and by the Secretary of the Treasury, 
who allowed the U.S. revenue cutter Mosswood to take our 
and to the aid which they rendered us in many ways. 
According to the plans adopted these expiorations had in 
view several distinct purposes, all more or less connected with 
the investigation of the fisheries. The special subjects attended 
to by this section of the Fish Commission party were chiefly 
the following : 
1st. The exploration of the shores and shallow water for the 
purpose of making collections of all the algz and marine 
animals living between tides, on every different kind of shore, 
including the numerous burrowing worms and crustacea, and to 
ascertain as much as possible concerning their habits, relative 
abundance, stations, etc. 
2d. The extension of similar observations by means of the 
dredge, trawl, tangles, and other instruments, into all depths 
down to the deepest waters of the Bay of Fundy, and to make 
a systematic survey, as complete as possible, of all the smaller 
bays and harbors within our reach, both to obtain complete col- 
lections of the animals and plants and to ascertain the precise 
character of the bottom, special attention being paid to locali- 
ties known to be the feeding grounds of valuable fishes, and to 
those animals upon which they are known to feed. It is 
believed that when the collections and notes made by the writer 
and his associates during previous years shall have been com- 
bined with those made during the past season, we shall have a 
tolerably thorough knowledge of the physical character and life 
of the bottom and shores in this region. 
3d. The depth of the water and its temperature, both at the 
surface and bottom, was to be observed and recorded in as many 
localities as possible, and especially where dredging was to be 
done, and lists of the ccncks and plants from special localities 
or depths were to be prepared, so as to show the influence of 
temperature and other physical features upon animal and vege- 
table life. Many valuable observations of this kind were made. 
The  aedeatak of the water was taken in numerous localities, 
both by Professor Baird and the dredging parties, by means of 
Sibel aaa 
Seah os rt ee eee 
