FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS OF THE STEAMER ALBATROSS. 
195 
INVESTIGATIONS SOUTH OF CALIFORNIA. 
During the several trips made by the Albatross southward from California very 
important fishery, biological, and hydrographic information has been obtained, but it 
is not intended to make more than a brief reference to these investigations in this con- 
nection. On the voyage from Norfolk, Va., to San Francisco, in the winter of 1887-88, 
observations were continued during the entire cruise, and after leaving the coasts of 
South America stops were made at the Galapagos Islands, Panama, Acapulco, La 
Paz, and several places along the outer shores of Lower California. During the early 
spring of 1889 a visit was paid to the Gulf of California, and from January to April, 
1891, the ship was engaged upon a special scientific investigation, under the direction 
of Prof. Alexander Agassiz, off the coast of Mexico, Central America, and Ecuador, 
including the region about the Galapagos Islands. 
OUTER COAST OF LOWER CALIFORNIA. 
9 
After completing the investigations on the coast of California, in February, 1889, 
the Albatross proceeded southward en route for the Gulf of California, but in order to 
examine certain reported dangers to navigation off Lower California the cruise was 
not made direct. Aline of soundings was carried first to Guadeloupe Island, and 
thence to the Alijos Bocks, in latitude 24° 58' N., longitude 115° 52' 36" W., and to 
the Eevillagigedo group, of which Clarion, Socorro, and San Benedicto islands were 
visited in the order named. Important collections of fishes and other marine animals 
were obtained at each of these places and also by dredging in the intervening deeper 
waters. Interesting observations upon the physical and natural-history features of 
the different islands were likewise made and have been published in the annual report 
for 1888-89, pp. 432-436, 466-468. The hydrographic results have been summarized 
as follows by Oapt. Tanner : 
Reports of islands, rocks, and reefs in the regions recently traversed by the Albatross have been 
current from time immemorial. The U. S. S. Narragansett’ s investigations resulted in their being 
expunged from the charts, but she gave us no information regarding the contour of the ocean bed, 
■which is the only sure method of deciding the existence or non-existence of submarine elevations. 
This gap has been filled by the soundings of the Albatross, which prove definitely that these vigi as do 
not exist in the positions assigned them. 
Another important problem has been solved. The chain of islands commencing with Guade- 
loupe and extending to Los Alijos and the Reviliagigedo group have been considered as a submerged 
mountain range, extending parallel with the peninsula, connected with it by a submarine ridge at 
one extremity, and previous to the submergence inclosing a gulf similar to the Gulf of California. 
The Albatross soundings not only show this to be an error, but demonstrate the fact that the several 
islands are isolated volcanic elevations, entirely independent of the continent and of each other, the 
sea reaching its normal depth between each of them and also between them and the peninsula. 
The observations directly along the outer coast of Lower California, both in 1888 
and 1889, were carried northward from Cape St. Lucas, and they will be referred to 
in the same geographical order. 
Only one dredge haul (No. 2829) has been made in the vicinity of Cape St. Lucas, 
the tangles having been used in a depth of 31 fathoms, rocky bottom, off the Frailes. 
Station No. 2830 was in 66 fathoms, fine sand, latitude 23° 33' N. 
Yisits were paid to Magdalena Bay in both years, and considerable collecting was 
done in that vicinity by means of the dredging appliances, nets, etc. Food-fishes were 
