NORTH SEA INVESTIGATIONS. 83 
fish had been culled out from large consignments of plaice sent by 
rail from Lowestoft, but I could not discover what were the propor- 
tions of large and small in the whole consignment, nor was it possible 
to trace their origin any further than the port at which they were 
landed. ‘The trawlers from Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Barking, &c., 
usually fish to the westward of the Terschelling ground during the 
winter, but I have no knowledge as to the quality of the fish caught 
there. Harly in March a Grimsby steam trawler visited the Dutch 
and German coasts, but brought in no small plaice. About the 
middle of the same month two vessels visited the same or adjacent 
grounds and landed moderate catches of plaice, mostly answering to 
the market description of “half-fish,” 7.e. short of the biological 
standard of maturity, but too large to be classified in this connection 
as small. Thus it would appear that the “ body” of small fish is 
not yet on the eastern trawling-grounds, but, if last year’s experi- 
ence be repeated, they may be expected to make their appearance 
there early in April. 
Whilst enumerating the quantities of small plaice landed during 
the different months of the year it may be as well to give the 
quantities of larger fish landed at the same time. This cannot be 
done with absolute accuracy, as the only possible way of recovering 
the total quantity is by accepting the returns furnished by the Board 
of Trade statisticians. I found it impossible last year to take account 
of all fish, even of any one important species, landed at the pontoon ; 
and the method adopted by the statistician, who bases his estimate 
mainly on information furnished by the railway company as to the 
amount despatched on their line, depends for its accuracy on the 
correctness of the deductions made for weight of packing mate- 
rial, additions for difference in condition of fish, home consumption, 
&e. 
Now the fish arrives at the pontoon either whole (“live”) or with 
the viscera removed. It may leave Grimsby in almost any condition. 
It may be sent off in statu quo, or may be cleaned, beheaded, boned ; 
only a small part of it may be worth transmission. It may be wet 
or dried, pickled or smoked ; it may come in as a codling, and go out 
as a “ Finnon ” haddock !—be caught as the head of Anarrhichas and 
tail of Lophius, and go out as the masseter muscles of Raia! The 
last instance, however, would not affect the correctness of the return, 
as these three kinds are not thought by the Board of Trade authori- 
ties to be worthy of discrimination, but go,in company with lemonsoles, 
witches, conger-eels, dabs, &c., to swell the column for “ All other 
except shellfish.” 
It will be admitted that the circumstances noticed above furnish 
rich opportunities of error, and in my opinion the statisticians deserve 
