THE IMPOVERISHMENT OF THE SEA. 11 



during the first period there was a preponderance of hauls during the 

 summer or productive months, whereas during the second period 

 the preponderance of hauls fell in the winter or comparatively 

 unproductive months. The validity of the criticism is borne out by the 

 official figures ; but whether the error caused by these differences 

 alone is sufficient to invalidate the whole of Dr. Fulton's conclusions 

 is rendered very doubtful by the contrast which Dr. Fulton emphasised 

 between the decrease of one group of flat fishes and the increase 

 of the other. The error might account for the decrease in plaice, 

 but how can it also account for the increase in dabs ? 



Professor Mcintosh does not, however, directly controvert the statement 

 that plaice and lemon soles did, as a matter of fact, decrease in numbers, 

 and that dabs increased ; unless we construe in this sense his remarks 

 that the average catch of plaice in the Forth was higher in 1895 than 

 in 1886, both for the colder and warmer months {Ecsoiirccs, p. 167). 

 But in the last Eeport of the Fishery Board (for 1898) Dr. Fulton 

 gives a new summary of the results, based upon a comparison of corre- 

 sponding cold and warm periods, and concludes that " the same result 

 {i.e. decrease of plaice and increase of dabs) is found, whether the 

 whole year is contrasted in the two quinquennial periods, or the warm 

 months against the warm months or the cold months against the cold 

 mouths." He provides, also, a table of averages for the two quin- 

 quennial periods, to show that " the change in the relative abundance 

 of the offshore-spawning plaice and lemon soles, and of the inshore- 

 spawning dabs, was common to almost every month of the year." A 

 decrease of plaice and lemon soles is observed for every month 

 except January, July, and December; and an increase of dabs and 

 long rough dabs for every month except August. It is also shown that 

 during the first period plaice and lemon soles together were more 

 numerous than dabs in every month except December ; whereas in the 

 second period dabs assumed the preponderance in six months out of 

 the twelve, i.e. from June to December with the exception of July. 

 Dr. Fulton reiterates his conclusion that the "inshore-spawning dabs, 

 therefore, to a very large extent supplanted the offshore-spawning 

 plaice and lemon soles in the closed waters." 



The sequence of figures submitted in further support of this con- 

 clusion is undoubtedly impressive, and would have set the question at 

 rest if the monthly averages for each quinquennial period had all been 

 equally reliable. But the admitted irregularity of the Garland's ex- 

 periments, especially in the earlier years of the decade, prevented any- 

 thing like a monthly survey of the experimental areas in successive 

 years. Accordingly, the monthly averages submitted by Dr. Fulton are 

 not based upon a uniform set of data, and there is nothing in the new 



