IN THE BAYS ON THE SOUTH-EAST COAST OF DEVON. 



449 



occasional presence of the fish. The minus sign, which is also employed, 

 indicates entire absence so far as our records show. 



The fish have been classified as " small " and " marketable " according 

 to the limits assigned in the table for each species. The dimensions 

 are those of total length, except in the case of the rays (Thornback, 

 Homelyn, and Blonde), for which the maximum breadth has been 

 substituted. 



Table II., sJwwinr/,for each of the hays, the Average Catch i)cr Hour 

 the Chief Fishes, distinguishing the small fish from those of marl 

 able size. 



'laice . 



)abs . 



'louiider 



ole 



h-ill . 



Irey Gurnard 



Miitmg 



)ory . 



lioniback 



loiuelyn 



Jlonde . 



Size of 

 small" fish 



Below 

 . 8 ins. 

 . 8 ins. 

 . 8 ins. 

 . 8 ins. 

 . 10 ins. 

 8 ins. 

 8 ins. 

 8 ins. 

 12 ins. 

 12 ins. 

 12 ins. 



Of 



■et- 

 Bay. 



Small. 



23 

 9 



3 

 3 



+ 

 10 



+ 



Market- 

 able. 



... 15 



... 4 



... + 



... 2 



... + 



... -f 

 2 



... + 



... 6 



... + 



... + 



The table shows at a glance that, if both size and numbers are taken 

 into consideration, the Plaice is the dominant fish in each bay, and 

 that the fish which competes with it most closely in abundance is the 

 Dab, the small size of which, however, renders it of little commercial 

 value. The Grey Gurnard and Whiting" occur in each bay, though 

 mostly of small size, and in insufficient numbers to be of much value 

 to the fishermen. The Thornback ray attains a certain measure of 

 importance in Teignmouth Bay, but in Torbay it is represented mostly 

 by small specimens, and in Start Bay it is virtually rei)laced l)y two 

 other species, the Homelyn (or spotted ray) and the Blonde, which are 

 practically absent from Torbay and Teignmouth Bay. The Brill is 

 less rare in Start Bay than in the others, and the Sole, though present 

 in all the bays, only approaches importance, in point of numbers, in 

 Teignmouth Bay. 



It will be seen that, speaking generally, Torbay occupies a position 

 biologically as well as geographically between the other bays. It stands 

 somewhat nearer to Start Bay than to Teignmouth Bay as regards its 

 numbers of marketable plaice, but it shows a still closer resemblance 

 to Teignmouth Bay than to Start Bay in the abundance of small plaice 

 within its limits. The peculiar feature of Torbay is the abundance of 

 small dabs, which distinctly outnumber the plaice. In Start Bay, also. 



