190 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
bites were felt. Towards evening, however, a school of red rockfish and whitefish passed under the 
ship, and between 40 and 50 of them were caught. The longer we fished the more plentiful they 
seemed to become. The dingey, with Capt. Tanner and the writer, was rowed to a point about half 
a mile to the westward of a reef of sharp rocks which makes off from the shore, where we fished for 
about an hour, making several changes in our position during that time. The catch consisted of three 
red rockfish and one fat-head. One large flounder ( Paralichthys calif ornicus ) , of the kind called halibut 
by the fishermen of San Diego, was hauled to the surface of the water, but, owing to its being “lip- 
hooked,” it managed to free itself, greatly to our disappointment. 
San Nicolas Island. — This island was visited on January 18 and February 13, 
1889, but stormy weather prevented extensive observations on both occasions. On 
the former date seining only was carried on, two hauls being made at the eastern end 
of the island. Abalone shells occur here in great abundance, and are collected for 
the market. A Chinese boat, in search of these mollusks, reached the island at about 
the same time as the Albatross. A small amount of fishing with hand lines was done 
during the morning of February 13. Two trials were made before good grounds were 
discovered. The third position was 2 miles WSW. from the island, in a depth of 21 
fathoms, 17 red rockfish, 3 whitefish, 2 yellow-tails, 1 fat-head, 1 cultus-cod, and 4 
jacks (Sebastodes paucispinis) being captured in the course of ten minutes. The boat 
then drifted into deeper water, where no fish could be obtained, but on returning to a 
depth of 22£ fathoms good fishing was again secured, the same species being taken, 
but in smaller quantities. 
Lines of deep-sea soundings have been run, connecting San Nicolas Island with 
Tanner Bank at the south and San Clemente Island at the east, and defining the 
contour of the bottom for some distance to the north of San Nicolas Island. 
Cortes and Tanner Banks. — These two banks, which are located about 95 miles 
due west of the coast end of the boundary line between the United States and Mex- 
ico, constitute the most important offshore fishing- grounds on the coast of California 
south of San Francisco. They are only a few miles apart, but are separated by 
depths of 100 to something over 200 fathoms. Coast and Geodetic Survey chart No. 
5000 represents them on a very small scale, with their outlines defined by the 100- 
fathom curve. A more detailed chart is given in the report of Capt. Tanner, contained 
in the Annual Report of the Fish Commission for 1888-89. They are here outlined by 
the 50-fathom curve as inclosing that portion of each bank which has been most 
thoroughly surveyed and fished over, especially in the case of Cortes Bank, the larger 
of the two. Capt. Tanner’s account of the examination of Cortes Bank is as follows : 
Arriving at the hank the following morning (January 16), we commenced investigations by 
sounding, dredging, and the use of hand lines. The sea was breaking heavily over Bishop Rock, 
which made an excellent landmark, enabling us to locate ourselves on any part of the bank with 
certainty and without loss of time. The examination was completed on the evening of the 17th, and 
the general results may be stated as follows : The charts are on scales entirely too small to admit of 
details being shown. Bishop Rock, on which there is but 10 or 12 feet, is the shoalest part of the 
bank The sea breaks over it heavily during moderate weather; but with a smooth sea, when facing 
the sun, it can not be seen at any distance and is at such times very dangerous. The depths corre- 
spond generally with those on the charts, with the exception of a 6-fathom spot which was found 
about a mile south and east of Bishop Rock. This might have led to a less depth, but there was a 
heavy swell at the time, which induced us to seek deeper water. Our soundings extended the area 
of the bank in a southwest direction, where it requires further examination. The bottom was 
composed of sand, shells, coral, and rock, the latter cropping out at short intervals over the entire 
surface. The fauna was very rich and varied. Fish were swarming over the bank in great numbers, 
and, in fact, it was found to be the richest ground we have found in the Pacific. The trawl line was 
set and quite a number of fish taken, but the bottom was too rough for that method of fishing. Dan- 
