TKANSPLANTING PLAICE FROM BARENTS SEA TO NORTH SEA. 503 



myself to leave Hull with Captain Turner and to transfer to his own 

 ship on the fishing grounds. 



Unfortunately we were unable to meet as arranged, and this mishap 

 deprived us of the use of two tanks which I had sent on board the 

 Roman* Had these been available a larger number of fish could 

 have been as easily dealt with. To take the place of these tanks, 

 there were improvised five tubs, made from halves of the casks which 

 the trawlers take to sea for the reception of fish livers. Each of these 

 was scrubbed out and filled with water to the depth of eighteen inches, 

 holding in this manner 15-20 gallons apiece. Changes of water were 

 effected by means of buckets and the use of the ship's hose at intervals. 

 This primitive method was continued during the seven days occupied 

 in steaming 1540 miles from the Barents Sea fishing grounds to the 

 N.W. Kough of the Dogger, where the twenty-three surviving fish were 

 marked and liberated. 



A much larger number had originally been placed in these tubs, but 

 owing to the very limited space available and the lack of means for 

 adequately changing the water the mortality at first was very heavy. 



We were fortunately favoured with moderate weather for the 

 journey, except for some hours after coming out of the Norwegian fiords 

 by the Lofoten Islands. Here the vessel, driven full speed in the face 

 of a strong head wind, had the main deck frequently swept by the seas 

 from the bows to the winch ; however, the fish appeared to suffer no 

 inconvenience and the tubs received no damage, being lashed on the 

 after deck. 



Besides my colleague Mr. A. E. Heffbrd, and Captain Turner, I have 

 also to thank the chief engineer of the Princess Louise, Mr. Gardner, 

 to whose resourcefulness in providing the tubs, and to whose interest, 

 the successful issue of the experiment was in great measure due. 



Changes of Temperature on the Voyage. — One of trie most strik- 

 ing changes accompanying this journey south was naturally that of the 

 temperature of the water in which the fish were being kept alive. 

 On June 26th, on the fishing grounds, the bottom temperature varied 

 between 34° and 35° F., whilst that of the surface was between 37° and 

 38° F. On June 27th, before reaching Nordkyn, the temperature was 

 between 40° and 42'3° F., and on tlie 29th, at Tromso, had risen to 

 45° and 47*0°, and reached 489° on the 30th, 49-5°-52-0° on July 1st, 



* I suggested to Captain Leighton that he shouM on the following voyage attempt to 

 bring l)acksonie living plaice in these tanks, and brouglit to his notice the precautions to be 

 oliserved to obtain a successful result. In correspondence he informs me that he left the 

 White Sea fishing grounds with about sixty fish, of which forty-two were alive on his 

 arrival at the Humber. These were then iced and finally distributed amongst the members 

 of the crew. 



NEW SERIES. — A'OL. VIII. No. 5. MaRCH, 1910. 2M 



