LIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



been apportioned among prominent specialists in the several groups 

 for study ami their reports are awaited with interest. The general 

 scientific results will be discussed by Prof. Leslie A. Lee ; the narrative 

 of the cruise by Lieutenant-Commander Tanner will be found in the 

 appendix to this volume. The Albatross arrived at San Francisco the 

 middle of May, 1888, the time previously determined upon, and prepa- 

 rations were immediately begun for the first cruise to the Alaskan fish- 

 ing grounds, on which she started July 4. 



The great extent of the western seacoast of the United States with 

 its varied climate will make it possible to utilize nearly the entire year 

 in carrying on the investigations of the steamer Albatross. The explora- 

 tion of the Alaskan cod and halibut grounds, which reach well up into 

 Bering Sea, must necessarily be limited to the summer months, while 

 the winter is best -adapted to the work along the coast of Southern Cali- 

 fornia. The hydrography of this entire region is comparatively little 

 known outside of the harbors and shore waters, and it will, therefore, 

 be of great importance to conduct extensive series of soundings, in 

 order to determine the position and extent of the fishing banks, a work 

 not generally* necessary on the Atlantic coast. The study of their re- 

 sources and their physical and biological characteristics can, however, 

 be made conjointly with the same, and it is expected that results of 

 much value to the fishermen will be obtained before the close of the 

 next fiscal year. 



During the year and a half ending June 30, 1888, the steamer Fish 

 Hawlc was employed but little in this branch of inquiry. From August 

 9 to September 6, 1887, however, she was stationed at Wood's Holt, 

 Massachusetts, and rendered some assistance in the investigations in 

 that region, making several dredging trips to Vineyard Sound, Buz- 

 zard's Bay, and the shallow waters off Martha's Vineyard and Nan- 

 tucket. 



Within the period covered by this report the schooner Grampus has 

 made several important explorations and has demonstrated her utility for 

 this class of work. From the .latter part of April until the last of May, 

 1887, while in command of Capt. D. E. Collins and with Dr. T. II. Bean as 

 naturalist, she was engaged in cruising on the early mackerel grounds be- 

 tween Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for 

 the purpose of studying the schools of mackerel as they approach the 

 coast, and their subsequent movements with relation to temperature, the 

 abundance of food, etc. The schooner was well equipped with the 

 necessary scientific and fishing appliances, and succeeded in obtaining 

 many valuable observations which have been published in the Fish 

 Commission Bulletin for this year. A part of the time she kept com- 

 pany with the fishing fleet, and at others was cruising independently 

 with the view of ascertaining whether the mackerel could be found 

 in advance of the fishing centers or in -other directions. During the 

 first part of the season the mackerel were scarce and small. Sea birds, 



