66 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



a coastal mi'gration up the Nova Scotia shore of the bay, but in addi- 

 tion a moderate number reach Grand Manan and a few are always 

 to be found still farther up the New Brunswick shore. 



The cunner is able to breed just outside the mouth of the bay 

 of Fundy in St. Mary bay on the coast of Nova Scotia and also in 

 the bays of southern Maine. It is a shore form and although virtually 

 non-migratory it will change its location for a distance of some miles 

 in the course of years. A steady increase in the average size is to be 

 seen on passing from St. Mary bay into the bay of Fundy, owing to 

 the individuals being of all ages in St. Mary bay, and, as we pass 

 from it, being restricted to later and later years. Very large indi- 

 viduals alone are to be found on the New Brunswick shore, and they 

 are very rare. 



The herring breeds in the bay and is well distributed throughout 

 it, but shows a peculiarity in its distribution, particularly during the 

 early years. This consists in a maximum abundance in the Passa- 

 maquoddy region, where the mixing effect of the tidal currents is at 

 its height. This is significant, seeing that the only place on our coast 

 outside the bay of Fundy where young herring or sardines are taken, 

 is in the St. Lawrence river, in which also the tides are of great 

 amplitude. 



Our major conclusions are that the absence of heavy tides makes 

 the gulf of St. Lawrence, and in particular the Magdalen shallows, 

 an important spawning ground for many species of fishes with pelagic 

 eggs, and the presence of heavy tides prevents the bay of Fundy 

 serving in a similar capacity, excludes from it the mackerel, and makes 

 it of prime importance in the fishery for young herring or sardines. 



Literature. 

 Dawson, W. B. 



Survey of tides and currents in Canadian waters. Report of progress. 

 1896. 



COODH, G. B. 



The Fisheries and fishery industries of the United States. Sect. L Wash- 

 , ington 1884. 



Hind, H. Y. 



The ePect of the fisheries clauses of the treaty of Washington on the fisher- 

 eries and fishermen of British Aorth i^merica, Pts. I & II. Fishery 

 Comm'n., I alifax, 1877. 



KiLLEY, W. 



On the temperature, fogs and mirages of the River St. Lawrence. Trans. 

 Lit. and List. Soc. Quebec, Vol. HI, pp. 1-4.5, 1838 ( ?) 



