THE SCARCER FISHES OF THE ABERDEEN MARKET 37 



west, we perceive that the captures of Lampris were farther 

 out and in deeper water than those of Chimaera. Within 

 the comparatively short season to which all our captures 

 of Lampris are confined, we cannot trace any clear and 

 satisfactory succession of dates ; for all along this belt of 

 distribution the fish come to hand at very much the same 

 season. If anything, it might perhaps be held that the 

 earliest captures (May to June) are in the north-west. 



LI 



FlG. I. Distribution of the King-fish, according to the Aberdeen Records. 



Most of our records contain the statement that the fish 

 was caught by line, and this indeed is a general rule, whether 

 the fact be stated or not ; I know of no authenticated case 

 of this fish being landed by one of our trawlers. 1 On the 

 other hand, Mr Grieg tells us that it is not infrequently 

 taken in the trawl (" kilenotter'"') off the coast of Norway 

 (Ichthyolog. Notiser, ii., Bergens Mus. Aarb., 1898 (3), p. 7); 

 though occasionally also, and in greater depths, by line. 

 The depth is stated in very few of our own records, but the 

 chart shows us that almost all the captures are in the 



1 Cf. Fish Trades Gazette, 8th September 1900 : "Every year at this 

 season, when the steam liners are fishing to the W. of Shetland, 

 rarely a week passes without a King-fish, and as many as three have 

 been obtained in one shot. As they frequent very deep water, all have 

 been got on the hook." 



