80 THE REV. R. F. WHEELER, M.A., 
trawl is in excellent condition; and it is the opinion of every 
fisherman that fish taken out of the trawl will keep longer than 
fish caugh with the hook. That, as a rule, perhaps about one- 
eighth part of the fish caught by the trawl are worthless. No 
fish taken on the Brixham ground is obliged to be gutted at 
once, for they are brought to market very speedily, and indeed 
gutted fish would not be so marketable.” 
_ Mr. Andrews, president of the Natural History Society of 
Dublin, thoroughly advocates trawling. He has long shewn an 
interest in Irish fisheries. I have looked through most of his 
valuable papers on the fishery question; but, though strongly ad- 
vocating trawling, there is little I can quote, as the information is 
so diffuse. In answer to the objection that the trawl destorys the 
spawn, he quotes a complaint made by some fishermen near Gal- 
way. The Rev. A. Synge had been trawling with a vessel of 
forty tons, and had sent quantities of fish to the Dublin market. 
The substance which the fishermen said was spawn was taken up 
in quantities in the net, and resembled the droppings of a cow. 
Mr. Andrews subsequently obtained specimens of this substance, 
which proved to be a sponge—halichondria or cliona celata of 
Johnston. It is a deep water species. Again, in another place 
in Mr. Andrews’ pamphlet, I read, “There are nineteen Clad- 
dagh boats at present engaged in trawling in Galway Bay. 
Large takes of fish are invariably obtained. [Even three boats 
following immediately in the same track have been known to fill 
their nets. In point of fact, the supply of fish seems to increase 
rather than diminish in proportion to the number of trawlers 
who are employed.” 
Professor Allman who was deputated by the Commissioners 
on Scotch trawling, to inquire into the subject of the injury 
done by regular trawlers, such as [ am now speaking of, gives it 
as his decided opinion, that the vitality of spawn is in no way in- 
jured by the act of detatching it from the spawning beds, so that 
if it be removed to the sea before it suffers any prolonged exposure 
to the air, development will proceed apparently unchecked. I may 
here remark that there is no question as to the great quantity of 
fish taken by trawlers when first they begin to work in any part. 
