THE SEA FISHERIES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 29 
Cod and halibut are the only fish taken as an object of pursuit.’ Owing 
to the bank being situated so far to the north and east nothing is known 
about the abundance of fish in the winter season. Indeed, all that is 
known of them is in the period between the last of April and the first 
of August. In the spring and early summer cod and halibut have been 
found in great abundance. During the spring, however, the weather is 
often so rough that fishing can be carried on but a small part of the 
time, and after June the ground is so much infested with ground-sharks ~ 
that the trawls are soon destroyed. Besides this there is more or less 
danger from drifting icebergs, which are often seen in great numbers. 
All these causes combined have hindered most of the fishermen from 
making any attempt to fish there. The only vessels known to have 
visited this bank for cod and halibut are a few from Gloucester, Mass., 
and this has never been done until within a few years. 
COD FISHING-GROUNDS IN THE BAY SAINT LAWRENCE. 
The cod fishing-grounds in the Bay Saint Lawrence are comparatively 
of little. importance except to the fishermen of the British Provinces. 
But few American fishermen go there, as the ocean banks are generally 
preferred by them. There is little difference between the depth of water 
and character of the bottom of the banks and elsewhere, and therefore 
the whole bay may be considered as a cod fishing-ground, with from 10 
to 60 fathoms cf water, and bottom generally rocky but somewhat di- 
versified with areas of greater or less extent of sand, gravel, or mud. 
The only places of which special mention need be made are Bradelle 
Bank, Orphan Bank, “ Pigeon Hill Ground,” and ‘“ Miscou Flat.” 
Bradelle Bank is in a northeasterly direction from the North Cape of 
Prince Edward Island, and in a direct line between that and the north- 
ern Magdalen Islands, the SW. edge being 22 miles from the former 
headland. It is 36 miles long and 24 miles wide. 
Orphan Bank is north of Bradelle. The center bears ESE. from 
Point Miscou, from which it is 47 miles distant. It is 36 miles long 
NE. and SW., and 15 miles wide, with a depth of from 10 to 30 fathoms, 
* and bottom of rocks, coral, and sand. 
Pigeon Hill Ground is the shore soundings that lie southeasterly from 
Shippegan Island at a distance of 10 to 20.miles, and extends in the di- 
rection of the coast about 18 to 20 miles. 
Miscou Flat is a stretch of rocky shoal ground that makes out from 
Point Miscou about ESE. nearly twenty miles. There is from 10 to 22 
fathoms cf water, the ground gradually sloping toward the outer part. 
On all these grounds cod-fishing is pursued only during the warmer 
season, from May to October. The abundance of cod, especially of the 
large fish, varies somewhat with different seasons, their presence in 
greater or less numbers being governed to a great extent by the amount 
of bait-herring, mackerel, &c.,on the ground. The fishing is largely ear- 
