H.—lsa

9

Eighty-eighth Haul. —Dropped the net again to the N.W. in 20 fathoms at 10.25 a.m., on an even soft-sand bottom. Towed four miles S.W. by S. \S. into 23 fathoms, and picked up at noon, the net containing 17 schnapper, 156 gurnard, 1 lemon-sole, and 2 dog-fish. Eighty-ninth Haul. —Steamed south half an hour, and shot in 25 fathoms at 12.30 p.m., on soft sand. Towed S.S.E. four miles, and hauled up from 18 fathoms. Result: 53 schnapper, 113 gurnard, 3 John dory, 1 flounder, and 5 dog-fish. Ninetieth Haul. —Steamed inside Albatross Point, and dropped the net in 15 fathoms, the bottom of fine sand continuing even. Towed into 8 fathoms towards Kawhia bar, four miles, and hauled in 19 schnapper, 148 gurnard, 3 John dory, and 4 dog-fish. Ninety-first Haul. —Crossed the Kawhia bar inwards, and put the net over in 3 fathoms. Towed up to the anchorage at Maketu, two miles and a half. When hauled up the net contained 17 schnapper, 10 gurnard, 14 flounders, 18 mold, 10 trevalli, 1 cat-fish, and 10 dog-fish. Ninety-second Haul. —Left Kawhia anchorage at 8 a.m. on Monday, the 22nd April, and after sounding off Albatross Point the net was put down four miles to the south of it at 9.30, on a 17--fathom soft-sand bottom. Towed S. by E. JE. four miles, and hauled out of 16 fathoms, with 79 schnapper, 106 gurnard, 6 small flounders, 4 small soles, and 3 dog-fish. Ninety-third Haul. —Steamed into 16 fathoms, shot the net, and towed S.W. by S. J S. four miles into 25 fathoms, and hauled up 56 schnapper, 41 gurnard, and 4 small flounders. Ninety-fourth Haul. —Steamed inshore and. dropped the net off the mouth of the Marokopo River, in 10-| fathoms, on sand. Towed four miles and a quarter S.S.W., and picked up in 9 fathoms. Result: 43 schnapper, 79 gurnard, 2 soles, and 4 dog-fish. Ninety-fifth Haul. —Took soundings off Rua Point, and shot the net again south of it in 12 fathoms. Towed four miles and quarter into 15 fathoms S. J W., and hauled in 27 schnapper, 151 gurnard, 4 John dory, 12 soles, and 2 dog-fish. Ninety-sixth Haul. —Ran out into 25 fathoms, and dropped the net on a sand-and-shell bottom at 5.15 p.m. Towed S.W. \W. into 30 fathoms, four miles, and picked up 14 schnapper, 68 gurnard, 13 lemon-soles, 18 soles, and 4 tarakihi. Ninety-seventh Haul. —Steamed inshore to 24 fathoms, and put the net over on sand at 7.30 p.m. Towed four miles S.E by E. f E. into 15 fathoms, and at 9 o'clock picked up 39 schnapper, 56 gurnard, and 11 soles. Ninety-eighth Haul. —Shot the net again at 9.30 p.m. in 16 fathoms, on sand. Towed S.W. fS. four miles, and at midnight hauled up. Result: 25 schnapper, 34 gurnard, 7 soles, 3 John dory, and 1 shark. Ninety-ninth Haul. —Shot again at 12.30 a.m. in 20 fathoms, on sand. Towed S.E. by E. three miles and a quarter into 17 fathoms, and brought in 14 schnapper, 29 gurnard, 1 sole, 3 stingaree, and 1 tiger-shark. One-hundredth Haul. —Put down the net again at 3.30 a.m. in 19 fathoms, on a sand bottom, and towed four miles W.S.W. into 21 fathoms. Result :21 schnapper, 7 soles, 3 dog-fish, and 3 stingaree. One-hundred-and-first Haul. —Steamed inshore, and shot the net in 13 fathoms at 7.30 a.m. Towed four miles and a half S. by W., and when hauled up the net only contained 38 gurnard and 1 John dory. One Hundred-and-second Haul. —The net was next put down off Urenui in 7 fathoms at 10 a.m. Towed W. by S. J S., but a mile and a quarter from the cast the net got fast, and was hauled up torn. One Hundred-and-third Haul. —Soundings were made from where the net got fast, along the coast to Waitara, the lead showing a very rocky bottom at each sounding. When abreast of Waitara we steamed out to 17 fathoms, and, finding sand, the net was put over, but after towing twenty minutes became fast again, so we put into New Plymouth for coal. One Hundred-and-fourth Haul. —Coaling and repairing net occupied the 24th April, and a week's stormy weather prevented further work being attempted until the Ist May, when we left the breakwater at 7.30 a.m. ; sounded off the Sugar-loaves, and, finding 17 and 19 fathoms on sand, shot the net off Katikawa at 8.45. Towed S.W. by W. over an even bottom four miles, and hauled up in 17 fathoms, with the very poor result of only 36 gurnard, 1 lemon-sole, and 3 tiger-sharks. One-hundred-and-fifth Haul. —Put out to 40 fathoms from last station, and put the net over .once more at 10.45 a.m., on a sand bottom. Towed S.W. \ S. four miles, and hauled in from 44 fathoms, the net containing only 15 small gurnard, 2 skates, 1 lemon-sole, and 1 shark. One-hundred-and-sixth Haul. —Shot the net again to the north-east of the last station in 42 fathoms, on sand. Towed N. by W. three miles and three-quarters, and picked up in 45 fathoms, with another poor result of only 17 gurnard, 4 lemon-soles, and 2 dog-fish. One-hundred-and-seventh Haul. —From the last position ran a line of sounding N.E. until abreast of Waitara, when the net was put down on a good bottom in 32 fathoms. Towed N.E. fN. five miles, and hauled in from 27 fathoms, with 132 gurnard, 29 lemon-soles, 3 skates, and a tigerfinfiT'k One-hundred-and-eighth Haul. —Shot the net again in 30 fathoms, on soft sand, at 8.30 p.m., a two-hours haul N. by E. bringing us into 29 fathoms five miles away, where 79 gurnard, 38 lemonsoles, 8 tarakihi, and 3 skates were brought in. One-hundred-and-ninth Haul. —Put the net down again to the southward, on sand, in 26 fathoms at 11.30 p.m. Towed four miles S.E. by S £ S., and hauled in 22 gurnard, 15 lemonsoles, 1 skate, and 2 sharks from 17 fathoms. One-hundred-and-tenth Haul. —Dropped the net once more in 18 fathoms, on a soft-sand bottom, at 1.30 p.m. Towed W. by S. five miles, and from 21 fathoms picked up 139 gurnard, 56 lemon-soles, 11 schnapper, 21 tarakihi, 2 skate, and 2 dog-fish.

2—H. 15a.