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Soles would spawn in any part of the sea, and he had 
found both small and large soles at all places, though he 
never found a small plaice in the open sea. All round the 
English coast a small fish, excepting soles and haddocks, 
would never be found outside a distance of three or four 
miles—they were always found close in-shore, and from 
that he argued that sea fish did not come in-shore to 
spawn, but that there was some provision of Nature 
whereby the small fish were carried from the place where 
the fish spawned until it arrived upon ground suitable 
for it to exist. If the small fish were not caught on 
these grounds they would stay there just so long as the 
food was suitable for them, and it was well known that 
food suitable for a small fish was not suitable for a large 
one, and consequently as soon as they arrived at a certain 
age their instinct caused them to remove to another part 
where they found that subsistence which was suitable for 
them. After they had grown to the proper size when they 
were able to reproduce, the same instinct which guided 
salmon to go up the rivers to spawn guided them to the 
spawning grounds. If it could be satisfactorily proved that 
soles, turbots, haddocks, or cod, deposit or shed their spawn 
upon particular grounds, and this can be done, they 
should have time allowed them during which they might 
deposit their spawn, and he should be in favour of a close 
time being enforced on those particular grounds for a 
certain time, though he did not by any means wish to put 
a close time on fishing during the spawning season, as there 
were plenty of other grounds where the fishermen might go 
to during such times. 
If time had permitted he had purposed to say a few 
words as to any improvement or regulations that might, 
under the circumstances, appear advisable, and if it is 
