NORTH SEA INVESTIGATIONS, 129 



About a trunk of small whiting, dabs, gurnards, and weevers were 

 thrown overboard. The largest weever {T. draco) was 13^ in. long, the 

 smallest (T.vipera) 2| in. There was one solenette {Solea lutea). 



Of invertebrates there was 1 edible crab, 1 Astropecten, 1 Spatang^is 

 purpureus, and a great number of large hermit crabs (Eupagurus 

 hernhardus) in whelk shells. 



We did not shoot again at once, but sailed to the southward and 

 eastward, the wind having taken us too far to the north, or " down," as 

 the fishermen term it. 



At noon our latitude was 52° 44'. At 3 p.m. 1 took the surface 

 temperature of the sea, and found it was 62°.0 F. The density was 

 1027, as well as I could read it in a bucket on deck. 



At 5.45 p.m. the trawl was shot again, the ship's head being N.E., 

 and the wind from the east. We hauled at 6.30 a.m. the next day. 

 There had been a calm all night, and in the net were only 1 pair of soles, 

 about 12 plaice, and a few small gurnards, dabs, and weevers. The net 

 was much torn. 



We could not shoot all day for lack of wind, but put the trawl over 

 at 6.30 p.m., again towing to the north with the wind from the eastward. 

 We hauled at 7.45 a.m., and again had scarcely any fish, the wind 

 having been very light. There was 1 turbot 18^ in. long, a male, mature. 

 There was about | of a trunk of plaice, 8 soles, lOf in. to 16^ in. long, 

 and, as usual, some small whiting, gurnard, weevers. The plaice were 

 11 in. to 16f in. long. There were 1 Astropecten, 1 sandstar {Ophioglyphya 

 laceriosa), and several Echinus miliaris, and common starfishes. 



The trawl was shot again at once, and hauled at 7 p.m. The latitude 

 at noon was 52° 36'. Still the wind was deficient. The novel occurrence 

 this haul was a piece of black friable substance, which the men called 

 " moor-log," apparently a submarine soil or peat. 



There were 1 turbot 11 \ in., and 1 brill 16:| in., the latter a mature 

 male, half a box of plaice and dabs, and 1 pair of soles. There were 

 5 dragonets {Callionymus lyra) and the usual invertebrates. 



The trawl was shot again immediately, and hauled at 8 a.m. the next 

 day, after about 12 hours. This time a fair quantity of fish was brought 

 up. The marketable portion was, 5 trunks of plaice, largest 16i in. ; 

 3 trunks of whiting and dabs, smallest dab 7 in., largest 13 in. ; \ trunk 

 of soles, 40 pairs and 2 or 3 slips; 3 latchets, 3 rays, 12 in. across 

 pectorals. 



The largest whiting was only 12| in. long, the smallest 8 in. There 

 were two scald backs, one 3| in., and one 5 in,, neither having the fin- 

 rays elongated. The smallest sole was 8^ in. long, the largest 18 in. 

 About a trunk of small gurnards, small dabs, small whiting, and a few 

 weevers were thrown overboard. 



