IN THE BAYS ON THE SOUTH-EAST COAST OF DEVON. 467 



plaice of one to three years find them a harbour of refuge — from the 

 trawlers only, for the seiners and cormorants exact toll. 

 i " For the purpose of the experiments the bay was divided as follows : — 



I " Station VII. Off Babbacombe Bay to the Ness, near Teignmouth. 

 The depth is 4-5 fathoms, and the bottom-soil sand. [Haul No. 4 was 

 made in somewhat deeper water, but the particulars are doubtful. — W. Gr.] 



" Station VIII. A continuation of the preceding to the Fairway Buoy 

 off Exmouth. The depth and bottom-soil are still the same. Very few 

 hauls were made over the entire length of this station. As a rule 

 it was divided into two portions, one from off Teignmouth to off the 

 Clerk Eock, the other along the Pole Sands at Exmouth, but as the 

 composition of the ground and the fauna are practically identical the 

 records are taken together. 



" Station IX. On the line, Orestone to the Fairway Buoy off Exmouth, 

 from near the Orestone to off Teignmouth. The depth is 11-12 fathoms, 

 and the bottom-soil stones, large shells, but mostly mud. One haul 

 [No. 26] was made from off Teignmouth towards the Fairway Buoy, 

 but it is also included under Station IX. [This station lies just outside 

 the limits fixed by the Devon Committee. — W. G.] 



"The differences between these stations are so strongly marked as a 

 rule that one can at once distinguish them by the catches. Station VII, 

 lies in the southern corner of the bay, and is sheltered from the pre- 

 valent winds. Here we find a very large proportion of small fish, 

 especially plaice. Station VIIL, on the northern half of the bay, is 

 very much exposed to the southerly and south-easterly gales, and the 

 sand which composes its bottom-soil is in constant movement. Small 

 plaice are consequently less abundant, and dabs are comparatively few. 

 A further consequence of the variable nature of the physical conditions 

 is that the catches vary greatly both as regards quality and quantity. 

 The sole and painted ray (B. microcellata) are good examples of this. 

 On one occasion, 13th September, 1901, nineteen large painted rays 

 were obtained in one haul. On all other occasions it was almost 

 entirely absent. Again, a considerable number of soles was twice 

 obtained there in November, 1901, and September, 1902, the total 

 number then caught making more than half of the soles obtained in 

 Teignmouth Bay for the whole period. At other times, again, soles seem 

 entirely absent from this region. Plaice and other species show the 

 same fluctuation, and as already mentioned, all forms are more abundant 

 in the fall of the year than at other times. 



" Station IX. is readily distinguished by the greater variety of species, 

 especially those useless for food, and the invertebrate fauna. The 

 dominant species is the thornback ray. From the accompanying tables 



NEW SEPJES. — VOL. VI. NO. 4. 2 1 



