FISHING STATIONS— SCcYrLANl). 329 



otherwise likely to attract them. We may add, finally, 

 that the Yolunteer artillery practice is believed to 

 scare away the fish. We can venture no opinion on 

 the value of these suggestions, for they can only be 

 tested by careful observations on the spot, and during 

 successive years. 



The various explanations, however, that have been 

 given of the recent scarcity, point rather to speculation 

 on the subject than to any ascertained facts ; but what- 

 ever may have been the cause or causes of the small 

 catch of herrings in Lochfyne ^ in 1873, there seems to 

 be no doubt about the takes of fish there having been 

 diminishing during the last four years. It remains to 

 be seen whether the result of the next season's fishing 

 bears out any of the explanations hitherto given. 



As it is unusual to find a regular fishery of so 

 essentially a deep-sea character as that for herrings 

 within such narrow limits as those of Lochfyne, it 

 may be desirable to give a short notice of the locality ; 

 and the general conditions under which the two kinds 

 of net are there worked will then be better under- 

 stood. 



The three important stations in Lochfyne are Inve- 

 rary, almost at the northern extremity, Ardrishaig, 

 about 18 miles south of it, and Tarbert, 10 miles lower 

 down and 6 or 7 miles from the entrance to the loch. 

 Just above Ardrishaig the loch suddenly narrows, and 

 is further contracted at tliis part by Otter Point, which 

 projects a considerable distance across and forms the 

 lower boundary of what is called the Upper Loch. 

 This portion of Lochfyne is only from 1 to 2 miles wide 



^ It appears b}' tlie Report of the Fisher}^ Board, published since the above 

 was written, that the great deerease was iu the Rothesay district, outside of, 

 and at the entrance t*^), Lochfyne. 



