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Attached to this report will be found— (1.) A detailed record of hauls made at each trawling-station. (2.) A list of fish taken, stations where they were obtained, and particulars of hauls. (3.) Particulars of the bottom observed at each of the sounding-stations. (4.) A memorandum of temperatures observed in different localities. (5.) A memorandum of distances steamed and towed by s.s. " Doto " during the trawling expedition. (6.) An interim report by Mr. A. Hamilton, Eegistrar of the University of Otago. (7.) An interim report by Mr. G. M. Thomsom, F.C.S. (8.) A report by Captain Nielson. (9.) Maps showing the position of each station. I have, &c, L. F. Ayson, Inspector of Fisheries. The Hon. the Minister of Marine, Wellington.

Detailed Eecoed of Hauls made. First Haul. —The first haul of the net was made in Pegasus Bay on the 10th March. On that date the " Doto " left Lyttelton Wharf at 1.30 p.m., and after passing the Heads steamed up the coast till abreast of the Waimakariri River, where the net was put down in 8 fathoms, about three miles off shore, at 4.20 p.m., on a soft-sand bottom. Towed S.E. -J- S. for three hours, when the net was picked up off the same bottom in 12 fathoms, with the following result, viz.: 150 flounders, 13 soles, 6 ling, 100 Macrurus australis, 1 schnapper, 1 brill, and 450 red-cod. The net came up clean and free from weeds. * Steamer returned to Lyttelton, arriving there at 9 p.m. Second Haul. —On Monday, the 12th March, we left Lyttelton at 5.40 a.m., and steamed north from the Heads (about thirty-four miles) to within eight miles of Motonau Island. Soundings showing sand-and-mud bottom the trawl-net was put down in 21 fathoms at 10 a.m. Towed N. J E. for two hours, and picked up in 22 fathoms off a stony bottom. Eesult: 12 Macrurus australis, 6 red-cod, 1 skate, and 1 crayfish, a few shells and pieces of rock. Third Haul. —After picking up at 12 noon, steamed B. six miles, and shot the net in 24-J fathoms, bottom sand, at 12.45 p.m. Towed again for two hours, direction S.E. by E., and hauled up the net in 25 fathoms. Result nil, owing to the rope tying the cod-end slipping. Fourth Haul. —The net was again put down in 25 fathoms at 3 p.m., towed S.E. by E. for an hour, and taken up off a soft-sand bottom in 22 fathoms. The fish taken were 1 ling, 8 tarakihi, 3 lemon-soles, 1 flounder, 10 megrims, 5 Macrurus australis, 17 red-cod, and a few elephant-fish. Fifth Haul. —After picking up the net at station 4 we steamed due W. to Double Corner, off the mouth of the Waipara River. The net was shot on a mud-and-sand bottom, in 9 fathoms, about two miles off shore, at 6 p.m. Towed S. f W. for two hours and a half, when it was taken up off the same bottom in 8 fathoms. Result: 36 soles, 5 flounders, 4 lemon-soles, conger-eels, and 210 red-cod. Sixth Haul. —The net was shot at once in 9 fathoms at 9 p.m., the bottom still mud and sand, and continued towing down the coast for three hours, course due S. Picked up at 12 a.m. in 7 fathoms, the result being very satisfactory—viz., 76 soles, 5 lemon-soles, 48 flounders, 2 groper, 5 conger, 20 Macrurus australis, 12 skate, 460 red-cod, 2 electric rays, 50 dog-fish, and a number of elephant-fish. Seventh Haul. —Shot the net again near where it was last picked up, in 7 fathoms, on a softsand bottom, at 12.15 a.m. Towed S.E. -J- 8., and picked up in 8 fathoms at 3.30 a.m. The result was again satisfactory, being 27 soles, 2 ling, 87 flounders, 50 Macrurus australis, and 500 red-cod. Eighth Haul. —Continuing work in Pegasus Bay, the net was put down on the same soft-sand bottom, in 8 fathoms, at 4 a.m. Towed E. by N., and picked up in 12 fathoms at 6.45 a.m. Result: 55 soles, 31 flounders, 1 turbot, 260 red-cod, 6 ling, 2 conger-eels, and 20 skate. Ninth Haul. —The net was shot for the last time before returning to port at 7.30 a.m., in 12 fathoms, on an even sand bottom. Towed E. by N. \N. for two hours, when the net was taken up in 13 fathoms. The fish taken were 12 soles, 12 flounders, 50 red-cod, and 4 skate. Tenth Haul. —We left Lyttelton again at 8.15 a.m. on the 14th March, and steamed round Banks Peninsula until abreast of Long Lookout Point, where the net was put down in 9 fathoms, on a sand bottom, about three miles off shore, at 11.20 a.m. Towed B. f N., and picked up at 12.30 p.m. in 11 fathoms. Result: tons of red-cod, 10 soles, and a large quantity of dog-fish, sharks, and elephant-fish. Eleventh Haul. —From picking up at station 10 steamed an hour and shot the net in 27 fathoms, on a sand bottom, about seven miles off and abreast of East Head, at 1.20 p.m. Towed W. southerly for an hour and forty minutes, and picked up the net in 10 fathoms off an even sand bottom abreast of Pah Point. The net contained an immense quantity of fish, estimated at about 4 tons in weight, principally red-cod, dog-fish, young sharks, and elephant-fish. In hauling this mass up with the steam-winch the mizzen-mast carried away. Tiuelfth Haul. —After picking up the last haul steamed towards Lyttelton Heads, and put down the net at 4.10 p.m., in 11-J fathoms, three miles off Decanter Bay. Towed W. fS. for an hour, and hauled up the net off a sand bottom. The fish taken in this haul were 13 soles, 20 red-cod, 3 skate, 1 ling, and a large quantity of dog- and elephant-fish. Returned to Lyttelton to get the " Doto's " mast repaired. Thirteenth Haul. —On the 15th March we left Lyttelton Wharf at 3 p.m. to further prospect Pegasus Bay. The net was put down in 6 fathoms, off the coast north of Sumner, at 4.30 p.m., and towed N.W. by N. -J- N. for three hours, the bottom varying from soft sand to mud. The net was picked up abreast of the Waimakariri River in 6 fathoms. The fish taken were 59 soles, 5 flounders, 4 turbot, 2 skate, 250 red-cod, and 2 Macrurus australis.

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