108 ' NORTH SEA INVESTIGATIONS. 



II. — Observations at Sea and in the Markets. 



1. Griinshj. 



At Grimsby there are a number of trawlers — some steamers and 

 some sailing vessels, which are locally called Cleethorpers, and regularly 

 fish on the grounds near the Humber, returning to port at the end 

 of the week. I went out in one of these, the s.s. Rhine, on July 22nd. 

 My object was to examine the grounds near the mouth of the Humber 

 and the Wash, in order to compare them with the grounds off the 

 German coast. We shot the trawl at 2 p.m. the same day, having 

 steamed 55 miles by the log from the Newsand Lightship, at a 

 position a few miles west of the Coal Pit or N.E. Hole, as it is 

 named on the chart illustrating Mr. Holt's description of the Grimsby 

 Trawl Fishery. The depth during the haul was 13 to 18 fathoms. 

 The temperature at the surface was 58° F. 



The trawl was hauled up at 7.15 p.m. The scruff was plentiful, 

 and consisted of Hydroids, chiefly Scriularia and Hydrallmania. 

 Alcyonidium, called by the fishermen " curly cabbage," was also 

 extremely abundant. Another Polyzoan, namely Crista, was 

 plentiful, and there were many Solaster pajyposus. The quantity of 

 marketable fish was very small. The smallest plaice was 8f in. 

 long, and there were 7 from this size to lOJin, ; these were thrown 

 overboard. Some lemon soles 8| to 9Hn., a few haddock of 8Hn., 

 and some small dabs 6^ in., were also rejected. The fish packed away 

 were : — 1 basket plaice, ^ basket haddock, ^ basket lemon soles and 

 whiting, ^ basket dabs, with a few codling, 4 soles. There were 

 also 10 roker, or rays, and 1 lobster, 10 in. long. 



The next haul we steered N., down the Coal Pit, and sounded 

 22^ fathoms. The trawl was hauled at 11.30 p.m. The scruff again 

 was very abundant, consisting chiefly of the Alcyonidium; Hydroids 

 also were very plentiful. There were present also Alcyonium, com- 

 pound Ascidians, and Solaster papposus. Among the Hydroids were 

 large clusters of Antennularia antennina. 



The smallest plaice was 8J in. long; smallest haddock 7f in. ; 

 smallest whiting 8|in. ; smallest lemon sole 72 in., a female, immature. 



There were 1 solenette 3| in., a mature female, and 2 others ; 1 

 latchet, a small specimen ; 1 scad {Caratix trachurus), 1 cod, and 2 rays. 

 The other marketable fish were : — f basket plaice, \ basket haddock, 

 I basket dabs, ^ basket lemon soles and whiting. 



Third haul, also in Coal Pit, 11.45 p.m. to 5.0 a.m. on Tuesday. 

 As before, a large quantity of scruff and a small quantity of fish. 

 Besides the other items seen in the scruff before, there were several 



