a4 
14 inches in extreme length were at once separated out 
and brought back alive. The number of these obtained 
in each haul is given in the Table, and is about 11°5 per 
cent. of the total number caught. The sizes of the fish 
caught were, so far as could be judged by a mere inspec- 
tion, very similar in each haul, and it was considered 
sufficiently exact to measure the individual fish in one 
catch only, and assume that the average so obtained 
applied to all the others. This was done for the first haul 
and an average length of about 111 inches was obtained. 
As the net used had a uniform mesh of 7 inches (12 inches 
along each side), and the drags were short ones, no plaice 
of less than 8 inches in length were obtained. 
The size of the plaice obtained in the preserved waters 
of Luce Bay is in striking contrast to that of the plaice 
which inhabit the corresponding areas in the Lancashire 
and Western Fisheries District. We have no reason to 
suppose that Luce Bay is a better feeding ground, or 
differs in any essential respect from many plaice grounds 
in the former area. The nature of the bottom, the depth 
and physical condition of the water, the bottom and 
pelagic faunas resemble closely the corresponding condi- 
tions on many extensive areas on the North-west Coast of 
Iingland. Still, there is no inshore area known to us 
where 10 per cent. of the plaice caught are over 14 inches, 
and a fair proportion are 18 or 20 inches in length. The 
only difference is that Luce Bay has been closed against 
trawling of every kind for about 16 years, while every 
plaice ground off the Lancashire and Cheshire coast is the 
scene of an active trawl fishery, with only very limited 
restrictions in force. “There appears to be no doubt that 
the comparatively large size of the plaice on this portion 
of the Scottish coast is directly due to the prohibition of 
trawling, and conversely that the much smaller average 
