THE MIGRATIONS OF 

 THE GREY GURNARD, Trigla guvnardns. 



By ALEXANDER MEEK. 



The earlier Northumberland trawling experiments indicated 

 that gurnards migrated into the baj's along the coast in summer, 

 and that they were more numerous in the southern bays than in 

 the northern. The later experiments allow of the facts regarding 

 their distribution being better expressed in figures (Table I.). 



The annual invasion of the Northumberland inshore waters, 

 it will be seen, is subject to a good deal of variation. There are 

 good seasons in which all the baj^s participate, and bad seasons 

 which also affect the Avhole of the region. But a glance over the 

 figures plainly indicates that the two middle bays, Alnmouth and 

 Druridge, which are only about three miles apart, receive usually 

 the greatest numbers, and in years of plenty as 1900, 1902, 1909 

 and 1913 this feature is particularly well exemplified. On the 

 average, it* may be said that these mid-Northumberland bays 

 afford about 50 gurnards per hour's trawling in the summer. The 

 southern stations which are also close together yield about 16 

 gurnards, and the northern ones about three (fig. 1). 



From the report for the year 1908 (Table IV., page 21) it will 

 be evident that the gurnards arrive in Ahimouth Bay in April, 

 and in Druridge and Blyth Bays in May, and leave the inshore 

 regions about October or November. The immigration becomes 

 most intense, however, in June and July, reaching a maximum 

 in July and August at Alnmouth, and in August in the southern 

 parts of the district. 



A consideration of the results of the trawling experiments 

 made in 1913 (see Report, new series. III,, 1914, Table III, page 

 23) will be found to illustrate with reference to one season the 

 features of the migration which have been found to be practically 

 constant for a large number of years. The results are expressed 

 in figure 2. At Alnmouth the catches from May to September 



