1 
OFFSHORE FISHING GROUNDS OF GULF OF MEXICO. 297 
sand, broken shells and corals, and the dredge bringing up very few evidences of life. 
March 15, during which stations 5093 to 5095 were made, was pleasant, and the trials 
were carried on to good advantage, but the lish seemed to be scattered. On the morn- 
ing of March 16, a short distance to the eastward of station 5095, one red grouper meas- 
uring 19 inches long was taken. This was the last capture made on Line F. 
LINE G.-MARCH 17 AND 18; STATIONS 5097 TO 5104. 
Dredgings . — Line G was run somewhat irregularly, deviating between latitude 
26° OF and latitude 26° 13' N. Eight dredging stations were made, the first in a 
depth of 12, the last in 51 fathoms. They may be described as follows : Station 5097, 
12 fathoms, fine gray sand and broken shells, bryozoans and one shrimp. Station 
5098, 18 fathoms, hard sand, broken shells, a sponge, ascidians, and the following 
mollusks: Area noce, Crepidula convexa, Polynices lactea. Station 5099, 21^ fathoms, 
sand and broken shells; sponges, hydroids, crabs (Lepto])odia sagittaria and Cyclois 
bairdii?)., and other small crustaceans, one fish {Ophiditm, sp.), and several species of 
bivalve mollusks {Lucina crenulata, Chama congregata, Liocardiimi Imvigatum, and 
Venus pygmeea). Station 5100, 26 fathoms, black gravel, mud, broken shells, and a 
few ophiurans. Station 5101, 30 fathoms, black gravel, coral sand, broken shells ; 
worms, sea-urchins, and crabs {Cryptopodia concava, CymopoUa, sp.). Station 5102, 33 
fathoms, gravel, coral sand, mud; ophiurans, worms, gastropod mollusks {Fusus eu- 
cosniius), and small crabs {Podochela gracilipes, Lamhrus agonus, Callidactylus asper, 
young). Station 5103, 36 fathoms, fine sand ; sponges, bryozoans, ophiurans, ascidians, 
and small crabs. Station 5104, 51 fathoms, coarse sand, broken coral; a large number 
of free criuoids {Antedon, sp.) and a few small crabs {Arachnopsis filipes, Lambrus 
ago7ius, Lambrus fraterculus, lUacantlia subglobosa, and Carpoporus papulosus). 
Fishing . — Only three fish, all of which were red groupers, were taken along Line 
G. The first was at station 5098 (trial 16), 18 fathoms, hard sand, length 23^ inches; 
the second at station 5099 (trial 17), 21J fathoms, sand, length 26 inches; and the 
third at station 5100 (trial 18), 26 fathoms, gravel and mud, length 26 inches. One 
squirrel fish {Serranus formosus) was obtained at station 5097, and one frigate mackerel 
was caught by trolling at station 5100. 
LINE H.— MARCH 18 TO 22; STATIONS 5105 TO 5111. 
Dredgings. — Seven dredging stations were made along this line in latitude 26° 17' 
30" to latitude 26° 20' N., extending from a depth of 56 fathoms to one of 16J fathoms, 
as follows: At station 5105, 56 fathoms, the dredge brought up nothing, but the lead 
indicated sand. Station 5106, 36 fathoms, sand, a few broken shells; large quantities 
of nullipores, green alg®, sponges, ascidians, small crustaceans, including the follow- 
ing four species of crabs: Podochela gracilipes, Neptunus spinicarpus, Ethusa, sp., and 
Cymopolia, sp., a sea-horse {Hippocampus hudsonius), etc. Station 5107, 31 fathoms, 
sand and broken shells; sea-urchins, one small holothurian, crabs {Neptunus spinicarpus., 
Lambrus agonus), and two species of gastropod mollusks {Turritella acropora. Turbo even- 
ulatus). Station 5108, 27 fathoms, sand, sponges, crabs {Lambrus fraterculus? , Nfeptu- 
nus spinicarpus, Acheloiis, sp., Cymopolia, sp.), shrimps and other crustaceans, mollusks 
[Muricidea floridana, Turritella acropora, Turbo crenulatus), and a small fish {Cillellus 
semicinctus). Oopepods, salpae, etc., were taken in the surface tow net. Station 5109, 
