334 REPOKT OF THE COUNCIL. 



Bottom Deposits. — During the year the collection of bottom samples 

 has been increased by 161, and is now 5i9. All those collected before 

 the end of 1907 have been classified by reference to type specimens 

 and graded by the use of sieves with holes ranging from 15"0 to 

 0"5 mm. diameter. The percentage of silt has also been estimated in 

 each case, and the shells present have been identified. 



In certain typical samples the chief minerals have been determined. 

 Elementary chemical examination of these samples is proceeding. 



Taken as a whole the material shows that wide areas exist over which 

 the condition of the bottom is exceedingly uniform, and that these 

 areas are confined to the central and eastern parts of the North Sea : 

 west of 2° E. long, the ground is extremely irregular and for the most 

 part coarse in texture. The distribution of considerable quantities of 

 the various grades of deposits on the offshore grounds can be defined 

 with some confidence in the south part of the North Sea. 



C. FISHERMEN'S RECOEDS. 



There has been no change in the method of carrying out the collec- 

 tion and examination of fishermen's records. 



A report on the records of the catches of plaice and soles obtained 

 from Lowestoft smacks has been completed. It deals with 4,929 hauls, 

 made in the years 1903-6, and shows that the average catch of plaice 

 per six hours' fishing, by the three boats whose records are considered, 

 markedly declined during this period. The catch of soles also declined, 

 though after 1905 the decrease was very small. No conclusion as to 

 the cause of this general decline in the years considered has been reached. 



The catches of turbot and brill have been treated in a similar manner, 

 that of turbot showing a continuous decline, that of brill falling until 

 1905, and then rising; the numbers of these two species caught are 

 not, however, great. 



The treatment of the Grimsby records, obtained from steam-trawlers, 

 is proceeding. 13,535 hauls made in the years 1904-7 have been 

 tabulated by areas, and the monthly average catches of turbot, brill, 

 and soles determined together with that of plaice for 1905. 



Section II.— HYDEOGRAPHIC AND PLANKTON WORK 

 IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. 



During the past twelve months the hydrographic investigations have 

 been carried out according to the programme of recent years, and the 

 quarterly cruises have been extended into the Irish Channel nearly as 

 far north as the Smalls. A large number of samples of water have been 

 received from outside sources, while the establishment of a regular 

 weekly sailing between Plymouth and Brest by the G.W.Ry. Co. has 



