THE SEA FISHERIES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 93 
little current. The set of what there is, however, is mostly in a west. 
erly direction. Cod and halibut are the principal fish taken, though 
the other species of bottom fish are found in limited quantity. The for- 
mer are generally the most abundant in the spring, from the first of 
March to June, although good fares are obtained throughout almost the 
entire year. For more than twenty-five years the Western Bank has 
been a favorite resort of the halibut fishermen, At first these fish were. 
found very plenty in from 45 to 60 fathoms, and since 1876 have been 
caught in great numbers along the edge on the south and east sides in 
from 100 to 300 fathoms. Like the cod, they are found during the en- 
tire year, the period of greatest abundance, however, being from the 
first of January to the first of Uctober. The Western Bank may be con- 
sidered both as a feeding and spawning ground for the cod and halibut. 
It abounds with shell-fish and crustaceans, as well as with several spe- 
cies of small fish upon which the cod and halibut prey. Although the 
cod do not gather in such great schools in winter as they do on George’s 
Bank, it is nevertheless quite evident that they assemble at that season 
for the purpose of reproduction. Usually they are found the most plen- 
tiful on the western part of the bank in winter and early spring, but 
as the season advances they move into shoaler water in the vicinity of 
- Sable Island, the “‘ bend” of the island and about the bars being favorite 
grounds during the late spring and early summer. Vessels from all 
along the New England coast and from the British Provinces resort to 
this bank to pursue the cod fishery, but fishing for halibut is almost ex- 
clusively carried-on by the Gloucester fleet. 
THE GULLY. 
Although the “ Gully ” cannot be called a bank, being just what its 
name suggests, a deep gully between two banks, it is nevertheless too 
important as a halibut fishing-ground to be omitted from a general de- 
scription of the fishing banks. This lies between Bankquereau and the 
Western Bank, being bound on the north and east by the former, and 
on the south and west by the latter. The entire length of the gully is 
more than 60 miles, but the halibut ground is of less extent, and the 
limits, east and west, may be placed at the 59th and 60th meridians of 
west longitude. It is about 18 miles wide, on the eastern part, from 
44° 08’ to 44° 26’ N. latitude, but narrower farther west. There 
are several ridges with rocky and gravelly bottom and a depth of 75 
to 125 fathoms, on which the halibut are usually caught. On either 
side of these ridges the bottom is generally sand or mud, excepting in 
the eastern section, where it is composed mostly of pebbles and sharp 
rocks. 
The current generally sets in a westerly direction, but is very irregu- 
lar in strength; an easterly wind often causes it to increase very per. 
ceptibly, while at other times there may be but little or no tide. When 
the halibut fishing first began on this ground it was carried on chiefly 
