64 FISHING-GROUNDS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



east of Main Ludge, thiiteeu to twenty fathoms; Southwest Rock, southwest of Main Ledge, 

 fourteen fathoms; part of Main Ledge, twenty-nine fathoms; Bucksport Shoal, one ami one- 

 fourth miles nearly south of Main Ledge, four and three-fourths to eleven fathoms. A short 

 distance from the latter shoal, on the south and east sides, are three other smaller shoals, 

 called Sea Patch, Lone Star or Harper Shoal, and Bryant Shoal, with depths varying, from 

 eleven to nineteen fathoms. South of these again, within a distance of one and three-fourths 

 miles, are three more shoals, known as the Bull Dog, Old South Shoal, and Cabinet Shoal, 

 with depths of seventeen to twenty fathoms. About one mile due north from Main Ledge 

 begins a line of eight small shoals, which extends a distance of about three miles, with depths 

 of nine to twenty-three fathoms. The nearest ones are called Northwest Shoals, and the 

 remainder, in the order of their position, are Maloney Ledge, Prairie Shoal, The Hummocks, 

 and Deep-Water Bank. 



Fifteen miles eastward of the Virgin Rocks, between 40° 27' and 40^ 29' north latitude, there 

 is a group of similar shoals, known collectively as the Eastern Shoals. They extend about four 

 miles north and south, and have an average width of a little more than two miles. Each shoal is 

 of slight extent, but few of them exceeding one-fourth of a mile in diameter. There are twenty-five 

 of these shoals in all, on which the depths of water range from seven to twenty-seven fathoms; 

 between the shoals the depths vary from twenty-eight to thirty-nine fathoms, and the bottom 

 is broken and rocky. 



Between the Virgin Rocks and Eastern Shoal and about them the depths range from thirty- 

 three to forty-eight fathoms, and the bottom consists of sand, coarse gravel, rocks, and broken 

 shells. Bank clams {Siliqua costata), abound here, and squid and capelin are plentiful in 

 their season, attracting large numbers of cod and making this region a very profitable one for 

 the fishermen. Halibut also formerly occurred here in large numbers. The cod which fi-equent 

 these shoals are generally of somewhat smaller size than those taken on other parts of the 

 Grand Banks; they are caught with hand-lines on the shoaler areas, where the fishermen go 

 in dories, one man to each boat, while the vessels lie at anchor near by. 



The eastern part of the northern section of the Grand Bank, lying eastward of the Eastern 

 Shoal and westward of 49° west longitude, has depths of thirty- seven to forty- five fathoms. The 

 bottom consists of sand, coarse gravel, pebbles, rocks, and broken shells, much of this area being- 

 covered with rocks and supporting a rich assemblage of animal life. This rocky bottom is 

 composed essentially of smooth round bowlders, distributed over sand, many of them being- 

 perforated by boring mollusks. Immense numbers of crustaceans, especially crabs, abound 

 here, together with bank clams and other shell-fish, small star-fish, Holothurians, Ascidians, 

 etc. This is one of the most favoi-able grounds for cod, principally from Jnly to September. 



That portion of the northern section lying east of the forty-ninth meridian is much less 

 resorted to than the last above described, and is, therefore, less known. The depths of Avater 

 range from thirty-four to fifty-four fathoms, and the bottom consists of sand, pebbles, and rocks. 



North of the northeastern portion of the Grand Bank, the bottom slojies off gradually a 

 distance of forty to forty-five miles from the edge of the bank, the depths nowhere exceeding 

 seventy-five fathoms, excepting in a few small areas. The bottom is composed of sand, mud, 

 and pebbles, the shoaler portions, with depths of fifty -five to sixty-five fathoms, being generally 

 composed of coarse sand and rocks. Within the past five years good catches of cod have been 

 made in this region by Gloucester fishing- vessels. 



The Fisheries op the Grand Bank.— The most important fishery of the Grand Bank is 

 that for cod, which is engaged in by vessels from France, the United States, and the British 



