New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-10
DEEP SEA DREDGING.
SOME OF THE INHABITANTS OF OCEAN

FISIEs--A COSTLY MISTAKE ABOUT LoBSIERS-
DEVIL FISH NAMED AFTER PROF. BAIRD.
PROV THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiDUNEJ
PORTLAND, Sept. l5.--0ne by one the natuIahs's
have been leaving Pcakcs Island. The stay oil tne e
Fish Commission is nearing its termination. M
day long and far into tho night for fortnight pe'
the busy men of science have been hard at Work III
the laboratory. Examining their treasures "o'o'
studying them while yet living under the micro
scope dssccting some of them with the sc'iiPe SUD
uniting eotne 10 tho action OF prnSsic aclu anu
seoraIi plunpng others into gycerihe' potIhng
thousands in alcohol, drying some over stoVe'
sknuing and stullng others, ana marking iaoehhg
and aiscnss;ng all--these were the preparatory
loho Nav last scene Of all tho bottles and tnbes
and instrpments the cans and jars and boxes. arc
.ammed into packing-cascs and addressed TO their
Anal dcstipatiOns-thc scientific museume. The
machinery and apparatus of dredging, the Tow-boat
that doubles together. nay. even the shelves and
tables are put in travelling trim. The laboratory is
empty and dcsclate, retaining only. though mixed
with the door of Kerosene its ancient and hsh'hko
smell.
STEAMSHIPS EMPLOYED IN DREDGING.
For the Blue Light has gone Der ways. She has
boiler that needs repair and her services TO the Fish
Commission are ended; and the newspaper CORE
spondcnts who had expected TO go a-drcdging after
their return from tho various excursions Of the
American Association for tho Advancement of
Seience-tO the White Mountains to PASSPORT. to The
Provinces and clscwhere-cOmo back here TO find
nothing worth describing and depart disappointed
But the work Of dredging is not entirely diScon-
tinued Pcake's Island is, however, no longer its
headQuarters-thcy for the present on the United
States Coast Survey steamer Bacho. trim vessel Of
80 tons, 1l2 feet long, aud with an engine of 40
horse power She has just paid us visit, and
very pretty ship she is both inside and ont; think
tic beauty of the lines of her hull. which seems
built for racing could scarcely fail to strike even
careless observer. Her commander. j. A. Howell,
u. S. N. not on board at the time Of her visit.
but the executive officer, Licut. W. H. Jaqucs'
showed our party through the vessel and agrceably
facilitated an inspection of her appliances for pecu-
liar service in dredging and coast survey. Her
cabins arc on deck and arranged particularly with
view TO abundant ventilation in the tropical climate,
where most of her work has been performed.
The Dachc will probably make the vicinity of Mon
hegan-an island of the coast of Pcnobscot Bay
her headquarters for the coming season. Por some
time past the fishermen of that ncighborhood have
been bringing an unusual class ot fishes into Port
Land and there is reason think that this region Is
the seat Of a deep sea fauna not vet thoroughly OK
plored. A locality in that vicinity. known rs JEFF
fres' Bank was the scene of some recent labOrs IN
dredging on the part of Profs Packard and Cook,
naturalsts who will remain on the Bacbe during
the coming season. She is capable of heavier work
than the Blue Light, and will not into harbOr for
a week ten days at q time, unless the weather is
unusually bOisteTOus. The prime object OF her
present detail FROM the Coast Survey is 10 make ex-
aminatiOns in deep water on the east edge of the
Georges plateau There is a spot there where the
sea bottom suddenly slopes down to 1900 fatboms
II has been alleged, by fishermen who were probably
tI,o of tho 10
are no longer correct; this question Will have fur
ther elncdaton. The regular service of the Bache
would have been off the Southern coast but her
boilers not in condition for such extended work
at a distance from conyenlenoes Of repair.
FOOD AND HABITS OF FISHES.
The United States Commission Of Fish and Fish
cries, Prof Spencer f. Baird, Commissioner. has two
principal objects in view; an increase Of tho fish
supply and an advancement of marine geological
science The second Of these is necessity growing
out of the first. 1t is simply impossible TO act iu
diligently for the preservation aud increase of fish
till we know their habits, their food and their
enemies. Until recently the dctum that all fish
feed on other fish, the smaller being deyoured by
the larger might have been accepted as the totabty
Of our belief and our knowledge of fish food. The
annual migration of shad and herring was supposed
70 be similar in extentan character TO that of birds
by vast numbers Of those fish travelling in body
from which detachments at intervals sought the
shore and assembled the rivers. The main object of
these supposed migrations was held To be the pur
suit of food. 1t was believed that there had been
great diminutOn of the supply of the animals that
fish live upon aud this assumed dlminutlon was
regarded as a principal occasion Of the decrease OF
fish. Scientific investigation has shown all these
beliefs TO be in the main mistaken. But to ascer
tain what are not and what arc the factsand those
lust mentioned hut few of the popular faacles
an amount Of research is required tOr which pnv-
nte means are quite inadequate. The Governments
Of many other enlightened nations arc conduct
ing similar inquiries, the German Government
in particular having in progress an exhaustive eX'
animation of the auimal life in its own and adjoin
inc coasts II may here be mentioned that DO theory
of the dminuton of numbers Of food fishes based
upon the notion that it is due principally to some
one method of net fishing and style Of net rs at all
tenable The capture of fishes during their spawn
ing season and the destruction Of spawn is far
more important factor III the account. But SO great
has been The work of the Fish Commission and so
widespread its researches that find myself utterly
unable TO compress just description OF ITS labors
aud what it has accomplished within reasonable
bounds and shall conGne myself to some few points
of general interest.
at should be easy enough one says 10 aScet-
tain the food Of fishes Just open then stomachs and
sec what they've been feeding upon" But what do
YOU findl That depends very much upon the FISH
that YOU examine. ] have seen about three pals
full of dinner taken out of the stomach of sword
fish. and there were many fishes and crustaceans
therein recognizable though in dapidated con-
diton. even to my untutored eye. But in an hour
after fish is out Of water most of the contents OF
hs stomach will be too much dissolved even though
he has fed on the larger forms Of marine life to be
certainly known Killing the fish does not help this
difficulty, because the digestive process goes on
after death almost az ranidlv as before. But ask