196 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED -STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
found to be abundant, many specimens of mullet, perch, anchovies, smelts, and floun- 
ders being captured in the seines and beam trawl. Several schools of mackerel were 
observed off the entrance to the bay on April 9, 1889; they were working northward. 
Excellent oysters had been reported from this locality, and a search was made for 
them, but without success. Mangrove oysters, however, were discovered about 40 
miles farther north, near Boca del Soledad. 
On May 4, 1888, several dredge hauls were made in the shallow waters about 
Abreojos Point, and on April 11, 1889, numerous fishing trials were conducted in San 
Bartolome Bay (latitude 27° 40' N.) by means of seines and hand lines. This bay has 
been reported to be an excellent tishing-ground, but nothing was captured on the 
hand lines, which were used in several places among the submerged rocks and ledges 
off the mouth of the harbor, although mullet, smelts, anchovies, and flounders were 
plentiful along the beaches. The U. S. S. Banger arrived at the bay at about the 
same time as the Albatross , and, making use of a very large seine, secured 167 green 
turtles, besides two or three dozen fishes, of several species, in a single haul. Some 
of the turtles were of very large size. 
Cerros Island was visited on May o, 1888, and again on April 12 of the next year, 
several dredging stations being occupied about the island, while the shore fishes were 
collected by seining. Subsequently, in 1889, seine hauls were made in San Quentin 
Bay and on the shores of San Martin Island. 
GULF OF CALIFORNIA. 
On the voyage north in April, 1888, a stop was made at La Paz, Lower California, 
for the purpose of coaling, and advantage was taken of the opportunity to dredge at 
several stations in La Paz Bay, in San Lorenzo Channel, and between Cerrabro Island 
and the mainland, off Point Gorda. 
In 1889 the investigations were carried to the extreme head of the gulf, the main 
object of the cruise having been to ascertain the principal characteristics of this sheet 
of water in their relations to the Colorado River, in which plantings of shad had pre- 
viously been made by the Fish Commission. The course of the ship was from La Paz 
to San Josef Island, Carmen Island, Conception Bay, Guaymas, San Pedro Holasco 
Island, Angel de la Guardia Island, Georges Island and Bay, Consag Rock, and the 
mouth of the Colorado River. Thence it returned to Guaymas and La Paz, making 
several stops on the way. Sounding and dredging operations, together with fishing 
trials and observations of temperature and density, were continued throughout the 
cruise, much valuable and interesting information being obtained. An account of 
the work accomplished is contained in the Annual Report for 1888-89, pp. 436-443, 
468-471. The shallow waters at the mouth of the Colorado River were found to be 
very barren of life, and the conditions generally seemed unfavorable to the successful 
stocking of that river with shad or other anadromous fishes. The gulf itself, however, 
has many important fishery resources, some of which have been developed to a limited 
extent, while others must await the demands of future markets. 
While in the neighborhood of Guaymas an examination was made of the exten- 
sive oyster beds occurring in Algodones Lagoon, the introduction of this southern 
species on the coast of California having been suggested. This oyster is of excellent 
quality and closely resembles the Atlantic coast species of the United States. It was 
