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During the present season, as in 1881, the headquarters of the U.S. Fish Commission were at Wood's Holl, Mass. The organization of the party was nearly the same as last year. The special object, this year, was to continue the exploration of the sea-bottom, and its fauna beneath the edge of the Gulf Stream, which had been so successfully carried on during the two previous seasons. Owing to the unusual delay of the government appropriations, our work was delayed about a month, in the best part of the season, for we could not begin our dredging until August. Unfavorable weather and other causes afterward prevented us from making more than five trips to the Gulf Stream slope this year. But these were very successful.