494 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [4] 



The report of Capt. D. E. Collins upon the operations and investi- 

 gations carried on by the Grampus while under his command in the 

 spring of 1888 is a comprehensive review of the work performed. The 

 fact that no mackerel were met with in the early part of the season is 

 significant, and was a marked indication of the phenomenal scarcity of 

 that species on all the western Atlantic fishing-grounds during the 

 summer of 1888. 



The illustrative material has been prepared under the direction of the 

 writer. The map showing the track of the Grampus on her summer 

 cruise in 1887 was drawn by Dr. C. E. Gorham, of the U. S. Fish Com- 

 mission ; the " track " shows only the general course of the vessel going 

 and returning, since it was deemed undesirable to follow all the devia- 

 tions caused by head winds, etc. 



J. W. Collins. 



II.— REPORT UPON THE INVESTIGATIONS MADE BY THE 

 GRAMPUS FROM MARCH 15, 1887, TO SEPTEMBER 16, 1887. 



By J. W. Collins. 



A. STUDY OF THE MIGRATIONS OF MACKEREL, ETC., SPRING OF 1887. 



My last report on the work of the Grampus closed on March 14, 1887. 

 At that time I was in Washington, D. C, engaged on special duty, to 

 which I had been assigned by the Commissioner. During my absence 

 from the vessel, First Officer D. E. Collins was appointed pro tern, to 

 take command of her, and he remained in charge until after the com- 

 pletion of the spring's cruise to the southern mackerel grounds. 



After the necessary repairs and preparations for a cruise were made, 

 and certain apparatus which had been used during the winter was 

 stored at Wood's Holl, and other necessary material taken on board 

 instead, the Grampus sailed for the mackerel grounds north of Cape 

 Hatteras on April 3. From that time until May 31 the vessel was act- 

 ively engaged in making researches bearing upon the questions of the 

 migration, abundance, and capture of mackerel, menhaden, and such 

 other pelagic species as were met with. She had the good fortune to 

 make the first capture of mackerel for the season. A few specimens 

 were taken about 60 miles from the capes of the Chesapeake in gill-nets. 

 A little later she was joined by Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, the ichthyologist 

 of the U. S. Fish Commission, who continued on her during the cruise. 



Every opportunity was improved to obtain knowledge of the presence 

 and movements of mackerel and menhaden, either by making captures 

 on board of the vessel or by communicating with the fishermen. Valu- 

 able service was rendered the fishermen on several occasions by inform- 

 ing them of the presence of schools of fish which had been discovered 

 by the Grampus. 



