124 REPORT ON NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1885. 



devoted to exploring the fishing grounds in the northern and north- 

 eastern parts of the Gulf of Mexico, between the mouth of the Missis- 

 sippi Eiver and Cedar Keys, Fla., and between the latter place and the 

 Dry Tortugas. The investigations were all carried on with extreme 

 thoroughness, and included many lines of dredgings across the fishing- 

 grounds to ascertain the character and richness of the fauna occupying 

 them, upon which the abundance of the food-fishes must depend. 



One hundred and ten dredging stations (serial numbers 2311 to 2420 

 inclusive) were made, in depths of 21 to 1,4G7 fathoms, the deepest series, 

 rangingfrom 730 to 1,407 fathoms, being located directly south of Mobile, 

 Ala. Capt. Joseph W. Collins was in charge of the practical fishery 

 investigations, and Mr. James E. Benedict chief naturalist, assisted by 

 Mr. Thomas Lee. Dr. T. H. Bean, curator of the Department of Fishes 

 in the National Museum, also accompanied the steamer daring the first 

 half of the cruise. An account of the material obtained will be found 

 among the accessions. 



During the first week in June, the Albatross made a short fishing trip 

 to the edge of the Gulf Stream, off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 

 bringing back a small but interesting collection of marine invertebrates. 



Mr. Henry Hemphill continued his collecting in Southern Florida 

 during the first three or four months of the year, and contributed a large 

 amount of interesting material obtained from the reefs and shores about 

 Key West. The collection sent in by him contains many species, 

 mainly of Crustaceans, Echinoderms, Corals, and Sponges, the smaller 

 forms, which are less readily obtained, composing a large portion of it. 

 Mr. Hemphill's careful explorations during the past two years have se- 

 cured for the Museum a most valuable series of the shallow- water ma- 

 rine invertebrates of Southern and Western Florida, a region that had 

 previously been but poorly represented in our collections. Only a small 

 part of his collections has yet been carefully examined, but they un- 

 doubtedly contain many new species. 



Lieut. George M. Stoney, U. S. N., in connection with his explora- 

 tions in Alaska during the summer of 1884, made several dredgings 

 and surface towings, in which he obtained many specimens of marine 

 invertebrates. These have been turned over to the Museum in good 

 condition, and add greatly to our previous collections from the same 

 region. 



Small collecting outfits have been supplied to the following persons, 

 whose collections, either in full or in part, are to be given to the Museum : 

 Lieut. George M. Stoney, 17. S. K, for explorations in Alaska during 

 1885 ; Lieut. E. D. Taussig, U. S. K, commanding the XJ. S. Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey steamer McArthur, on the Pacific coast; Dr. W. 

 H. Push, medical officer of the U. S. Coast Survey steamer Blake, on 

 the Atlantic coast ; Dr. Stephen Bowers, Buenaventura, Cal. ; Mr. L. 

 P. Gratacap, of the American Museum of Natural History, ISTew York 

 City ; Mr. Henry Hemphill, collecting in Florida in the interests of the 

 Museum. 



