296 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



our reach, both to obtain complete collections of the animals and plants 

 and to ascertain the precise character of the bottom, special attention 

 being paid to the localities known to be the feeding-grounds of valuable 

 fishes, and to those animals upon which they are known to feed. 



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 

 animals 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 vegetable life. Many valuable observations of this 

 kind were made. 



4th. The life of the surface waters was to be investigated by means 

 of hand-nets and towing-nets, on every possible occasion, and at all 

 hours. Towing-nets of different sizes, made of strong embroidery- 

 canvas, and attached to stout brass rings, were used with excellent re- 

 sults, but very many interesting things were obtained by hand-nets skil- 

 fully used. The surface collections are of great interest in themselves, 

 and of special importance practically, as they show the nature of the 

 food of those fishes that feed at or near the surface. 



5th. The collections obtained were to be preserved by the best meth- 

 ods : 1st, for the purpose of making a more thorough study of them 

 than could usually be done at the time, and for the purpose of insuring 

 accuracy in their identification and fullness in the special lists for the 

 final reports ; and 2d, in order to supply the Smithsonian Institution, 

 Yale College museum, and a number of other public museums, both 

 American and foreign, with sets of the specimens collected. For this 

 last purpose large quantities of duplicates were collected and preserved, 

 and will be distributed at an early day. 



6th. Those species of animals which cannot be preserved in good 

 condition for study were to be examined with care and minutely de- 

 scribed while living. The colors and appearance of the soft parts of 

 other species were to be described in the same way, and also the eggs 

 and young of all kinds. 



7th. It was regarded as of great importance to secure accurate 

 drawings of the living animals, and especially of such as greatly change 

 their form and appearance when preserved, such as worms, naked niol- 

 lusks, ascidians, polyps, &c. Unfortunately the available funds were 

 not sufficient to enable us to employ a special artist for this purpose 

 during the summer, but this deficiency has been partially remedied by 

 the figures subsequently drawn by Mr. J. H. Emerton, Mr. S. I. Smithy 

 Mr. O. Harger, and the writer. 



8th. In all these investigations the relations existing between the 

 fishes and the lower animals which serve as food for them were to be 

 constantly borne in mind, and all iuformation bearing directly upon this 

 subject that could be obtained was to be recorded. To this end large 

 numbers of stomachs from fishes newly caught were examined, and 



