Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-12-29
DOWN IN THE DEEPS.
The Wonders of The Ocean--.Nork Of the United
States Dredging Expedition.

euS0 OF the gull stream. under the
| auspices of the United States fish com
mission, in the opinion of Prof. A. E.
Verrill, proved the most successful ever
sent out by this or any other country.
In three days more specimens were
obtained than by any other expedition in
as many months. Indeed, the English
expedition on the Challenger, which was
at work deep-sea dredging continuously
for five years, did not accomplish more
or get larger collection.
The dredging was done from rs to 115
miles south of Newport, in the region
known on the charts as Block Island
Soundings, the depth of the water beng
from one-quarter to three-quarters of a
mile. The fish hawk was used to good
advantage, as was also the beam trawl.
Fish swimming at the bottom would be
scooped in, and once inside the trawl
they were entangled in the pockets that
prevented their escape. The trawl
would be thrown out and drawn along
behind the steamer, making swath half
mile long and twelve to fifteen feet
wide. Two barrels of alcohol a day
were used in the preservation of speci-
mems. To put them in shape will be the
work of weeks. To thoroughly arrange
and classify the thousands of specimens
obtained will occupy the commission all
winter. Most OF this work will be con-
Quoted at New Haven by Prof. Verrill
and his assistants.
Eighteen species Of fish were discov-
cred heretofore unknown and unde-
scribed, besides others known to Green
land and northern Europe, but not to
our coast; also a wonderful variety of
crabs, shrimp and lobster-like creatures,
some of them very handsome, and forty
species of them entirely new. One hun
dred and hfty-fve different kinds OF
shells, one hundred and fifteen of them
not before known on this part of the
coast, ffty-fve not known as 1nhabit-
ants of American waters, and thirty
wholly unknown to scientists heretofore.
were obtained. In addition, two new
kinds of devil-i5h, one about a foot
long; two hundred specimens of new
and pretty squid, and twenty new kinds
of star-fish were taken. Of these STAR
fish, thousands ofspecimens were netted,
some OF exceeding beauty. Quite a
number Of new species of corals
were caught, some of them being
brought up by the bushel. OF fan coral
some beautiful specimens were obtained.
Hundreds of sea anemones, brilliantly
colored, some Of them measuring a foot
across, delighted the eyes of the men of
science. One strange discovery was q
worm inhabiting a quill like goose
quill. The quilts were about n foot
long, and soon after being taken out of
the water grew SO hard that they could
be and were used for pens. They stood
in the mud at the bottom of the sea.
The worms inside were opal-colored, and
when takeL out of their strange tene-
ments gllstened and presented a rather
pretty appearance, so far ns color was
concerned. They were raked up by
thousands, end none OF the scientific men
ever heard of them before.
The discovery was made that the tile
fish is plentier than the cod. A Glou-
cester fisherman last winter hauled in
the first tileish. Since then few have
been caught Prof. Verrill, however,
caught three with perpendicular trawl
line. On opening their stomachs he
found therein some of the rare crustacB
that abounded thereabouts, and he knew
it was their feeding ground. He is sat-
isfed that they are plentier there in sea-
son than Goldfish off Block island. One
of the three fish caught weighed fifty
pounds. The tilefsh, as described by
Prof. Verriil, is a magnificent fish of a
light yellow brown color, shaped like a
sea-bass, and spotted all over with yell
low. 1t is fine eating, and he is con-
WINGED that it is destined to become ia
vorite market fish, now that it is known
where it can be readily caught.
All of the fish caught by the dredges
have gone to the headquarters of the
commission at Washington. The OF. er
specimens we're taken to New Haven by
the Fish Hawk on returning from New
port, and the work of arranging them is
now being pushed forward. AS many as
100 series of the various specimens will
be made up and distributed among the
museums of the country, the first Oh oice
going to the National museum at Wash
ington, the second to the Peabody mu-
scum at New Haven, the third to the
museum at Cambridge, and SO on. A
complete and detailed report will also be
made by the commission.
The records of the temperature at diff
ferent depths were also made with great
care. At a depth of from 100 to l4233
fathoms the temperature was usually
from 81 deg. to So deg. Fahrenheit.
From 142a to 1876 fathoms it was from AZ
to 43 degs., and at 500 fathoms it was go
dogs. The pressure at 500 fathoms or
over was very great-suficient to crush
and press together the wood that enca ed
the thermometer until it was shapeless
mass, and to SO press the rope used to
lower the instrument that it came up
hardened and squeezed together until 1t
resembled bar of metal.
In the nine years the commission has
been established it has dredged in 1900
localities (both shallow ard deep waters)
between Long Island Sound and Halifax,
and out as far as 200 miles; but never
before did they have such good luck as
last month on the Fisk Hawk.
A FRENCH journal says: 1--WE can
easily understand what a. tea ia In