H.—lsa

6

Under the shelter of this island the net was put down three miles east of Rokinoin 10 fathoms, and picked up after an hour and a half towing in 11 fathoms, the whole three miles traversed being mud. Result: 43 gurnard, 2 lemon-soles, 59 schnapper. Further work was impossible owing to the gale, and we ran to Otangi Bay to shelter for the night. Thirty-fourth Haul. —Lifted anchor at 5.40 a.m., and shot the net, five miles due north from anchorage, at 6.20 in 18 fathoms, mud. Towed N. \E. for an hour and a half into 24 fathoms, and picked up. Result: 43 schnapper, 49 gurnard, 6 John dory, 2 lemon-soles, 10 flounders, 1 crayfish, 1 dog-fish, 1 stingaree. Thirty-fifth Haul. —Steamed a short distance from last station, and put down the net in 23 fathoms, on mud, at 8. a.m. Towed N.E. f E. four miles and a quarter, and picked up in 24 fathoms. This haul yielded 60 schnapper, 90 gurnard, 3 John dory, 4 lemon-soles, and 1 stingaree. Thirty-sixth Haul. —Steamed S.E. about five miles, and shot the net in 22 fathoms, on mud. 'lowed an hour S. by E. \ E., and picked up three miles away in 21 fathoms. Result: 21 schnapper, 30 gurnard, 4 lemon-soles, 2 John dory, 3 sharks, and 1 dog-fish. Thirty-seventh Haul. —From station 36 took soundings down to the entrance to Waiheke Channel, and when through the channel into Tamaki Straits the net was shot south of Passage Rock in 4 fathoms at 1.40 p.m. ; bottom, soft mud. Towed westward towards Rangitoto for an hour and three-quarters, and hauled up in 4 fathoms. The net was full of grass and weeds, and the fish taken were 109 gurnard, 27 schnapper, 1 flounder, and 1 stingaree. Returned to Auckland. Thirty-eighth Haul. —After taking in coal and water, and repairing gear, left Auckland on the 4th March at 3 p.m. Passing to the south of Rangitoto Island, and finding good broken-shell bottom in the Motuihi Channel, the trawl-net was put down in 6 fathoms at 6.50 p.m. Towed an hour and a half E. J N. a mile and a quarter, and N. by W. a mile and three-quarters, and was taken up from 10 fathoms, the .net containing 165 good schnapper, 10 gurnard, and 20 dog-fish. Thirty-ninth Haul. —Weighed anchor at 4.40 a.m. on the sth March, and steamed N.E. from Motuihi Channel for two hours and a half; sounded 26 fathoms, and a green-mud bottom. Steamed another half-hour, and shot the net on a mud bottom in 26 fathoms at 7.45 a.m. Towed N. fE. four miles, and hauled up, the net containing only 6 small schnapper, 3 John dory, 8 leatherjackets, and an octopus. Fortieth Haul. —Took soundings on to within two miles and a half of Pirogue Rocks ; shot the net in 23 fathoms, on a sand-and-shell bottom, at 10.50 a.m., six miles and a half S.W. of Whangaparapara Harbour, and towed in towards the entrance in a N. by E. f E. direction for three miles, when the net was hauled up from 23 fathoms, sand-and-shell bottom, but contained only 14 lemonsoles, a few small schnapper, dog-fish, leather-jackets, and an octopus. Forty-first Haul. —The net was put over again after soundings were made round Pirogue Rocks, off Okupu Bay, and out until Port Tryphena opened out at 3.20 p.m., four miles S.W. of the north head of the bay, and towed in N.E. by E. fE. towards the south head. The net was shot in 22 fathoms on a sand bottom, towed four miles, and hauled up from the same depth ; but the result was only two or three soles, schnapper, and leather-jackets. Forty-second Haul. —Weighed anchor in Tryphena Bay at 5.45 a.m. on the 6th March; took soundings half-way across the channel to Cape Colville ; and cast the net five miles south of the cape in 26 fathoms, on a sand-and-shell bottom, at 9.10 a.m. Towed two nr'les and a half S.W. by S. S., and hauled up from the same depth at 10.15 a.m., with the disappointing result of' only 4 lemon-soles, 3 schnapper, and a few leather-jackets ; but the net contained also a lot of marine growth. Forty-third Haul —Put down the net again N.W. by N. of Huieh Island, and distant about three miles and a half, in 15 fathoms. It was towed E. J N. three miles and a half over a mud bottom into 7 fathoms towards the centre of Cabbage Bay opening, and when picked up was found to contain 200 schnapper, 25 gurnard, 21 lemon-soles, and 4 dog-fish. Forty-fourth Haul. —Shot again off the opening of Cabbage Bay in 8 fathoms at 12.45 p.m. Towed E. -JN. a mile and three-quarters, and S. -J- W. a mile and a quarter, picking up in 9| fathoms. Result: 171 schnapper, 11 gurnard, 4 lemon-soles, and 7 flounders. Forty-fifth Haul. —Continued working south through the Firth of Thames, and shot again on a mud bottom in 20 fathoms. Towed S.E. by S. fS. until abreast of Waimate Island, four miles, and hauled up in 21 fathoms, finding 100 schnapper, 26 gurnard, 1 John dory, 2 lemon-soles, 4 flounders, 2 stingaree, 2 dog-fish, and 1 shark. Anchored for the night in Coromandel Bay. Forty-sixth Haul. —Left anchorage in Coromandel Bay at 6.15 a.m. on the 7th, and shot the net off the harbour-mouth in 19 fathoms, on mud. Towed S.E. three miles until abreast of Manaia Bay, and hauled in a fair catch, from 15 fathoms, of 208 schnapper, 38 gurnard, 2 lemonsoles, 12 flounders, 1 trevalli, 1 blue-cod, 1 John dory, 2 stingaree, and a lot of large mussels. Forty-seventh Haul. —Steamed a short distance from last station, and shot the net south of Kirita Bay, three miles off shore, in 18 fathoms, on a sand bottom, at 8.15 a.m., and picked up off soft mud in 9 fathoms, having towed five miles S.E. j- E., and resulting in the satisfactory haul of 593 schnapper, 187 gurnard, 12 flounders, 9 lemon-soles, 2 John dory, 1 shark, and 6 dog-fish. Forty-eighth Haul. —Put down the net again at 11.10 a.m., four miles west of Waikawa River. Towed S.E. \ E. five miles, and picked up in 6 fathoms, yielding the large bag of 860 schnapper, 139 gurnard, 5 lemon-soles, 20 flounders, 3 John dory, 4 stingaree, 1 shark, and 6 dog-fish. Forty-ninth Haul. —A stiff N.W. wind blowing down the bay compelled us to work closer in to the western shore. The net was put over at 1.30 p.m. Towed N.W. by W. fW. four miles, and hauled in out of 12 fathoms, containing 307 schnapper, 76 gurnard, 14 flounders, 6 lemonsoles, 2 John dory, and 9 dog-fish. Anchored for the night off Ponui Island.