of the Fiskcrij Board for Scotland. 



27 



Round Fishes. 



Tlie averages for round fishes show much greater variation and 

 diversity, as one might expect, and this is especially the case with 

 haddocks. The paiticulai'.s for the three periods are : — 



The average for cod, which was practically the same in the first and 

 second periods, shows <an inci-ease in the third ; that for haddocks, 

 which indicated a considerable increase in the second period, shows a 

 still more marked decrease in the third, viz., from 74'3 to 3'9. The 

 average for whitings decreased during the second period and increased 

 during the third, and that for gurnards increased throughout. Taking 

 the various months in the three periods, the averages for cod in 

 September were, 20-8, 16-9, and 18; in March, 16-7, 15-2, and 18-6; 

 in April, 7-7, 11-5, and 27-3 ; and in July, 16-5, 12-7, and 18-7. 



The averages for haddocks were, in September, 85*9, 94*8, and 1"4 ; 

 in March, 3-1, 11-6, and 1-3; in April, 9-3, 40-0, and 2-6; in July, 

 128-9, 157-1, and 9-7. 



The averages for whitings were, in September, 25-3, 29-2, and 74'6 ; 

 in March, 7*0, 9-7, and IM ; in April, 13-8, 7-1, and 25-9 ; and in July, 

 48-5, 20-6, and 13-4. 



The averages for gurnards were, in September, 12-8, 23-5, and 14-8; 

 in April, 13-6, 11-6, and 21-9; and in July, 14-6, 24-6, and 46-0. 



The diversity and irregularity of these averages are such that little of 

 any value can be deduced from them, and the numbers are, as a rule, 

 small. They show the fluctuations which take place in the abundance 

 of round fishes under ordinaiy circumstances i-athei' than the effect 

 of closure. 



Skates and other Fishes. 



The evidence shows that skates and rays have rather inci-eased than 

 diminished in the closed waters. In the first period the number taken 

 was 145, and the average 2-2; in the second the number was 231, and 

 the average 2-2 ; in the third the number was 92, and the average 3-5. 

 In September the averages were, 3*5, 2-4, 1'6; in March, 1-6, 2-2, and 

 3-3: in April, 1-7, 2-2, and 5-9 ; in July, 2-4, 1'9, and 2-9. The same 



