THE BANK TRAWL-LINE COD FISHERY. 167 



Lood of the Virgin Rocks, latitude 40 27', longitude 51 C'. After this, as the year progresses, the 

 vessels begin a movement back again towards the south and east, until at last those who have 

 remained till November are again fishing on the very outer edge of the Bank. 



This movement of the vessels aud the facts regarding the fish were furnished me by the skipper. 

 I believe they are correct. It is perfectly plain that, if they are true, there is a definite migration 

 among the cod of the Grand Bank. Early in the year, during the first of March or a little later, 

 a large school of fish moves in from the deep ocean waters and comes over the southern edge of 

 the Banks. This large school is followed by others which drive the first comers further to the 

 north and west until the season reaches its height. These fish move over the Banks, feeding on 

 the places that are rich in the proper forms of life to suit the conditions of their existence. Later 

 in the year a movement toward the deep water is initiated and continues until finally the large 

 schools disappear. 



To prove that the fish do migrate in this or in any other manner would require more observa- 

 tions than I could make. The men believe that they migrate in this manner, and on it base their 

 own movements. 



SCHOOL AND GURKY FISH. The fishermen make a division among the fish, separating them 

 into two groups called "school fish" and "gnrry fish." The school fish are supposed to move over 

 the bottom in large schools seeking fresh feeding grounds as fast as food became scarce in any of 

 the regions where they have been fishing. The fish we captured during the first and second bait- 

 ings were of this sort. They presented a plump appearance, looking very vigorous and healthy. 

 They were, moreover, in large numbers in any one spot, and conld not all be "fished out" in a 

 single haul. The term gurry fish, on the other hand, seemed to be applied to the few stragglers 

 who remained on the Bank after the larger schools had migrated. These had a thin and hungry 

 look; their flesh was almost flabby. Nor did they kick about in such a lively manner when 

 brought on board. It is supposed also that these fish will bite readily on gurry, or bait made from 

 the "pea" aud other intestines of the fish, aud from this fact they have derived their name, while 

 it is averred that the school fish will not take any bait save the very best. These gurry fish are 

 thought by the men to be a body of stragglers which never leaves the Banks, but, instead of par- 

 taking in the usual migration, remain in small and scattered numbers, picking up a scanty living 

 on whatever they can obtain. 



As I have mentioned, in the paragraphs referring to bait, it is at present the habit to use only 

 fresh bait until late in the year, when salt bait or gurry is used with some success. I saw this illus- 

 trated during our trip. In places where the fish had been biting well they fell off suddenly on the 

 introduction of salt bait and gurry. During the second baiting, fishing had been excellent. We 

 had been taking daily an average of 12 tubs when our bait became greatly deteriorated. The skip- 

 per then thought to try salt bait and gurry, and on the 30th day of August took only two tubs of fish. 

 The same thing happened during the third baiting. These facts show that during the early season 

 the fish are rather fastidious. I was told that later in the year, during October, they caught a few 

 fish with gurry, and the skipper had with him 10,000 salted squid to be used at that time if he 

 should remain so late. 



SPAWNING. The fish did not appear to be spawning during any of the lime of my visit to 

 the Grand Bank. The ovaries were usually quite small, having a length of not more than 5 or 

 C inches, as a rule, aud, indeed, to find them so large as that was rare. The eggs were very imma- 

 ture indeed. In one case did an ovary appear that was large and more natural than any of the 

 others, but in this one case only were the lish anywhere near the time of spawning. That spawn- 

 ing at that time is infrequent I remember the better from the remarks of the men. When 1 inquired 



