452 



REPORT ON TRAWLING AND OTHER INVESTIGATIONS 



place, and the general results of the work on the two sub-stations were 

 practically identical. As Dr. Kyle remarks, " they display the general 

 or average condition of the bay, omitting the Skerries Bank." 



Station II. "Along Slapton Sands, [usually] in 6 fathoms. The bottom- 

 soil is here coarse sand " (H. M. K.), Occasionally the haul was made in 

 7 to 8 fathoms (No. 19), or extended to 10 fathoms (No. 8). "The 

 hauls on Station II. were made, for the most part, in summer, when the 

 plaice are inshore ; during winter this ground is almost devoid of tish 

 of all kinds " (H. M. K.). 



Station Ila. "This represents the trawling-ground from Start 

 Point to off Torcross. It means skirting the rocks at the latter place, 

 so that no further comment need be made on the fact that only one 

 haul is recorded " (H. M, K.}. 



Station III. "Along the inner margin of the Skerries Bank. The 

 depth varied from 5 to 10 fathoms, and the soil is also coarse sand" 

 (H. M. K.). 



The biological features of the different stations may be gathered 

 from the accompanying table, which represents the Oithona's average 

 eatch per hour for the whole year on the different grounds. 



Table III., showing Average Catch per Hour for the entire period on the 

 various stations in Start Bay. 



The difference between Stations I. and II. is one of degree rather 

 than of kind, and is for the most part due to differences in depth. It 

 will be seen that plaice were somewhat more abundant on the inshore 

 grounds than on Station I., and it was only on the former station that 

 small plaice were present in appreciable numbers. Small dabs were also 

 slightly more abundant on Station II. than on Station I., and large dabs 

 slightly less numerous. Thornback and homelyn rays were more 

 plentiful on Station II. than Station I. ; while blondes, both large and 

 small, were more plentiful on Station I. Station III., which corre- 

 sponds with the Skerries Bank, is seen to possess distinct features. " It 

 is characterised," as Dr. Kyle remarks, "by the numbers of large brill and 



