LII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Japan current, which brings the warmth of equatorial Asia to temper 

 the extremes of Arctic climate on the southern shores of the Alaskan 

 Peninsula, and thence sweeping to the south, carries tropical heats to 

 the latitude of San Francisco. Eepelled on the one hand by the low 

 temperature of the great rivers and fringe of coast waters, and solicited 

 on the other by the equable and higher temperature of the Japan cur- 

 rent, the shad have become true nomads, and have broken the bounds 

 of the hydrographic area to which we had supposed they would be 

 restricted. Following the track of the Asiatic current, and finding 

 more congenial temperature as they progress, it is not unreasonable to 

 expect that some colonies will eventually reach the coast of Asia, and 

 establish themselves in its great rivers. 



DIVISION OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY. 



1 Preparations for the cruise to the Pacific coast detained the steamer 

 Albatross in port from the first of January until the middle of Septem- 

 ber, 1887. During this period new boilers were constructed and put in 

 place, necessitating several changes in the arrangement of the rooms 

 adjoining the scientific quarters. The ship was also thoroughly over- 

 hauled and the equipment brought up to its full complement. It had 

 been intended that the steamer should spend the summer of 1887 in 

 making further explorations on the Atlantic fishing grounds, but the 

 delays in completing her repairs rendered this impossible. In April, 

 however, she proceeded to Fortress Monroe and supplied the United 

 States steamer Thetis, then about to leave for the North Pacific and 

 Arctic Oceans, with a dredging outfit, comprising several beam trawls, 

 dredges and towing nets, dredge rope, and the necessary appliances 

 and alcohol for preserving specimens. This material was furnished at 

 the request of her commander, Lieut. William Emory, U. So Navy, who 

 has planned to carry on extensive investigations respecting the fish- 

 eries and marine zoology of the coasts that he will visit. Lieutenant 

 Emory and several of his officers were given a short dredging trip on 

 board the Albatross in order to instruct them in the methods of using 

 the apparatus. September 14 the Albatross left Baltimore and put to 

 sea, bound for Wood's Holl, Massachusetts. About 3 days were spent 

 on the way in dredging and making observations along the inner edge 

 of the Gulf Stream in depths of 102 to 1,2T6 fathoms. This cruise was 

 taken as a trial trip for the purrTose of testing the new boilers, which 

 gave entire satisfaction. A month was occupied at Wood's Holl in 

 putting the ship to rights and in making final arrangements, after which 

 she returned to Washington to await orders for the voyage to the west 

 coast. Coal and other supplies were subsequently obtained at Nor- 

 folk, from which port the Albatross sailed for San Francisco November 

 • 21. Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. Navy, was in command of 

 the steamer, while the civilian scientific staff was in charge of Prof. 

 Leslie A. Lee, of Bowdoin College, assisted by Mr. Thomas Lee, Mr, 

 Charles H. Townsend, and Mr. Dennis Cole. 



