Evening star., 1877-11-12
WORK OF THE FISH COMMISSION.
Important and Interesting ExPior q.
tiOns and Discoveries.

The northern trip along the Massachusetts
coast and TO Halifax, from which Prof. ). r.
Baird, the head OF the Fish Commission, h as
recently returned, is interesting not only
from its connection politically with the ne
gotiations between the United States aud
Great Britain concerning the use OF Ameri
can and Canadian fishing grounds, but also
from the valuable investigations waich
Prof EatTd has been enabled TO make. He
and ms colleagues commenced thetr eNplo-
ratioDs about the ist OF August on Inc sea
coast at Salem, Massachusetts. the Navy
Department having placed AT their diS pOSsl
the iron steamer Speedwell, OF $40 tons bur
den, under the command OF Captain A II
Kellogg, L. s. n. This vessel Is alta .aet Io
The Portsmouth navy yard, and was pro-
perly equipped with officers and men.
THE oBJECT OF INyEsTIGArIoS
during ~, ss In previous years, was 10 make
a survey OF the sea bottom OF the AT antlc
coast, FOR the purpose OF determining the eN-
1stence, extent and character Of the fishing
banks, 50 that by q cert aiming the boundaries
and peculiaTities OF those already knuyn,
and by the discovery of new ones, the range
OF fisheries might be increased. Numerous
collections OF fishes, shells, crabs, star
fishes and sea weeds We're made. for the par
pose OF supplying cabinets in the various
academies ana colleges of the I'm teC SLa q,
and for making exchanges with fOrei 20 as
soclatious, in order to Increase the collection
in the national museum. Alter remaining
at Salem for about six weeks the vessel pro
ceeced 10 hallfaN, by request of the Secre-
The
AMERICAN BRANCH OF THE FISHERIES
CGMNISSIoN
meeting in that city, aud to render such ser
vices in connection with witnesses before the
tribunal, etc, as might be considered desra-
ble. The Investigations begun at Salem were
continued at Halifax, and vast quantities of
very rare specimens were obtained. Al pos
Slble cOuTtesies Were extended 10 the yes lei
and its officers by The Dominion authorizes
The Speedwell was paced on the sa ne foot
Ing In port, respecting freedom from dues, as
her ma ajesty's vessels OF war and everything
was done by the citizeus TO facilitate tae OBJ
tect OF her visit. After stay OF eight weeks
at Halifax, Prof. Baird returned To = ilem
with the especial purpose OF examining the
herring fishery OF the coast OF Massachu-
sets, and of determining the extent and
character OF the spawning ground, and the
al ldaDce OF the catch OF fish. After the
close OF the spawning season the Speedwell
returned to Portsmouth, thus bringing the
trip to close on the 2ith OF October.
The collection made have all been received
at the Smithsonian Institution, aud are of
great magnitude and value. The labor of
arranging Al laoeling has already been be
IN. and as soon as pOssib e the present spec
Imens, ia connection with the gatherings Of
prior years, will be distributed according To-
the plan already explained.
AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.
The operations of the summer have "A ided
greatly to the knowledge of previously Wis
tied fishing banks, and nave brought TO Ii sht
one up to this time unknown, bout fifteen
miles off the mouth Of Boston harbDr. 1t is
so rich in fish that from 800 TO 900 pounds
were taken by trolling within half an hour;
and among the victims was discovered a
species of fiounder previously unknown on
the American coast and belle eyed TO be pecu-
liar TO Greenland.
The scientific OPERATORS, while und IT the
general direction Of Prot laird, were more
INN. lately conducted by Prof. A. l.. Yer
n OF Yale College, aud his assistant Ir. J..
Il Wilson as far inNer' ebrates are con
cerned, ard by Mr. q. b GoOde and Mr.. T.
ri. Bean as regards ii hes and cetac ans.
The apparatus and details of dredg ging and
trolling were under the charge of Capt Il. &.
Chester, the renowned first male of the PO-
la1is, ard the devoted friend and ate Idant
OF Capt. Hall up to the time vi nis death
in tE. frozen M Ttn.
Besides the invests igstion into the natural
history and economical value Ot The msTiue
animals of the coast, numerous observations
were taken upon the temperature OF the
water al different depths and localities.
CURIOUS DEVELOPMENT OF THE ABUSD-
ANCE OF ANIMAL LIFE AT Low TEN
PERATURES.
In some cases the thermometer at the depth
of 100 iathoms was found TO stanj at Sc r.,
or below the freezing point OF fresh wa,er;
and, strange as IL may seem, these spots pre-
eminently abound in animal life; great quan
titles of fish were taken from the Icy water
and among them star fishes of extraordinary
beauty.