EXPLANATION OF CHARTS. XV 



XII. In March, 1877, tlio schooner Howard caught 25,000 i)oiinds of halibut at this place in one day, iu 00 fathoms. 



XIII. Good halibut fishing, January and February, 1879. 



XIV. Halibut very abiindaut March, 187G, and ujauy good fares obtained. In Way, 1S79, (ho schooner Mary F. 

 Chi.sbolm secured a faio of 40,000 pounds. 



XV. In the iuclosed area many barge farts of halibut were caught in Februaiy and March, 1S(:G and 1667. At the 

 spot marked with the cross the schoouer Centeuuial obtaiued 100,000 pounds in one trip. 



XVI. The crosses iudicate the position of the halibut fleet iu January, 1878, where good fares were obtained in 

 depths of IGO to 200 fathoms. Halibut were scarce hero in 1879. 



XVII. Halibut were very abundant iu the positions iudicated by the crosses in the springs of 1876 and 1877, and 

 fine fares were obtained iu 150 to 300 fathoms. The edge of the Grand Bank ou this side, from its southern end to 44° 

 north latitude, has been one of the best halibut grounds iu the Western Atlantic ever siuce the discovery of the deep- 

 water lishery, and many large fares have been taken at all seasons. The halibut are, however, somewhat erratic iu 

 their movements, and are not equally abundant at all times. Those found to the southward of latitude 44° north 

 appear to be moving oil" from the bank into water too deep for the fishermen to follow them, and all trace of them i.* 

 lost. North of latitude 44° north they seem to be working along the edge of the bank, and often it is not difKcult to 

 trace their summer migrations in the early part of the season. 



XVIII. In this position the schooner Stirling, on a "salt trip," made a large catch of halibut in 130 fathoms in 

 April, 1873. This is the first recorded instance of deep-water halibut fishing on the Grand Banks. 



XIX. The area iuclosed by the dotted line was a favorite halibut ground iu the wiuter and spring for several 

 years previous to the beginning of the deep-water fishery. The schools of halibut were generally migrating towards 

 the west and northwest. This area also furnishes excellent cod-fishing, and is much resorted to by fishermen from the 

 United States, the British Provinces, and France. In the space iuclosed at its southern end, and marked "Good 

 Cod Grounds" — cod were very abundant in June, 1877. Good cod-fishing is still found here almost every summer, but 

 halibut are no longer taken in any considerable numbers. 



XX. In the position indicated by the cross many fine fares of halibut were caught prior to 1875. This locality 

 is noted for the exceedingly large faro obtaiued by the schooner Mary Carlisle, in April, 1871, which paid the crew 

 shares of $236 each, the largest ever realized from a fresh halibut trip. 



XXI. Halibut abundant iu January, 1876. 



XXII. This ground, known as the "Eastern Shoal Water," was chiefly resorted to for halibut from 18G4 to 1871. 

 After 1869, however, but few halibut were caught here except in the fall. Good fall trips were made as late as 1874. 

 The dotted cross in the western part of the inclosed area indicates where the schooner Mary G. Dennis took a large 

 fare iu the spring of 1868, and that in the southeastern part where the schooner N. H. Phillips, iu October, 1871, 

 obtaiued a fare that realized one of the largest stocks ever made on a fresh halibut trip up to that date. Up to 

 withiu a few years of 1860, the Eastern Shoal Water was also a favorite place for cod in the fall, and sometimes at 

 other seasons. Of late it has not been as much resorted to asformerly. It was ou thisgrouud that the " giant squid"' 

 were found in snch large numbers in the fall of 1875. 



XXIII. Halibut were abundant along this edge of the bank in 1881 and 1882, between 43° 30' and 44° 10' nortfi 

 latitude, and in depths of 125 to 300 fathoms. The prevalence of icebergs aud the strength of the Arctic currcut 

 render fishing here very difficult aud dangerous. 



XXIX. Halibut were abundant on and near the Virgin Rocks during the summers from 1868 to 1S70, inclusive, 

 and several large fares were obtaiued. Since 1871 no catches of importance have been made. The Virgin Rocks 

 have been for many years a favorite locality for hand-Iiuo dory fishermen engaged in the cod fishery, and in the 

 summer a fleet of vessels lies near the shoals, each one sending out from 10 to 20 dories. The cod average somewhat 

 smaller than on other parts of the Grand Banks, being such as are called "mixed fish" iu New England. 



XXX. Good cod fishing obtaiued ou trawls with salt clam bait and "shack," April, 1879. 



XXXI. Good catches of cod made with capelin bait in June and July, 1877 and 1878. 



XXXII. Cod fishing with shack bait good in June aud July, 1874 and 1878. 



XXXIIL This grouud nearly always affords good cod fishing from May to July, with herring, capelin, andsqnid 

 bait. The fish were very abundant in June, 1879. 



XXXIV. Cod very abundant iu June, 1875. 



XXXV. Good cod fishing with herriug bait. May, 1879. 



XXXVI. Good catches of cod with squid bait were made iu August, 1879. 



XXXVII. Good cod fishing with squid bait, July, 1879. 

 SEC III r-II 



