35: 
Since the Fishery Board came into office, a severe: 
calamity befel the cockle beds, for vast quantities were 
killed during the terrible frosts a few years since. The 
cockle beds, however, owing to the operation of two of the 
great laws, namely, vast fecundity, and the capacity of; 
overcrowded specimens to develop their full growth, 
speedily recovered by natural means alone, without stop- 
ping the cockling. This is a phenomenon which we can 
understand, but our knowledge is only moved a step back.. 
We do not know why this specially severe frost came or 
why it worked so much destruction. Such a cause would not: 
affect the haddock, as down in the sea the frost has little 
or no effect; neither is it probable that any great calamity 
befel the fish, for they gradually died away, and after the 
lapse of years as gradually returned. My own view is 
that Frank Buckland’s theory was the correct one, that it 
is all a question of food, but this again only carries us one 
step back as long as we know nothing of the cause why 
special food should be plentiful for years, then cease, and 
again become plentiful. 
Since Mr. Buckland expressed this opinion, a case has 
occurred under our own eyes which confirms it. During 
my early days it was a very favourite amusement to go 
fishing in the channel at Fleetwood, and very good sport 
it was. -For.a great part of the year we could always rely: 
upon a gaod catch of codling up to two pounds weight, 
