of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



103 



One angler was also caught. The small-meshed net, which was used 

 around the cod-end on this occasion, contained 52 codlings, 280 haddocks, 

 79 whitings, two ling, seventeen lemon soles (smallest 107 mm., or 4| 

 inches), 553 long rough dabs, seven bibs, twenty-eight common dabs, 

 218 Norway pouts (smallest 67 mm., or 2| inches), one pogge {Agouiis), 

 and one specimen of the silvery pout {Gadus argenteus). 



In Aberdeen Bay the net was shot in the evening, in 8| fathoms, 

 between Belhelvie and the Black Dog, and towed mostly in six and 

 seven fathoms. It was hauled in four hours, and the bag presented an 

 extraordinary appearance as it was swung on board, being filled with 

 jelly-fishes (large specimens of Ci/anea), which protruded from the 

 meshes. The contents overflowed the fish-pound, and the only fish 

 present were 120 plaice and a few haddocks. The net was so slimy 

 that it took five hours towing through the water to make it anything 

 like clean. Another haul was attempted further noith, in Cruden 

 Bay, with the same result, a bag of jelly-fishes and two or three 

 haddocks, and the fishing had to be abandoned. The fish landed on the 

 22nd, amounting to 6 cwts., realised =£5 4s. 9d. ; they were chiefly from 

 the ofishore haul. 



VI. 



The first haul on the next expedition, which was made on board the 

 " Ocean King," was in 58 fathoms, twelve miles S. by E. | E. from 

 Aberdeen, on 3rd September, and it lasted for one hour and seven 

 minutes. Owing to the somewhat rough sea and the rolling and 

 pitching of the vessel this shot was only partially recorded, but it 

 included a considerable catch of haddocks, 107 codlings, some lemons, 

 and one angler. The small-meshed net, which was used, was damaged ; 

 its contents comprised 103 whitings, 21 haddocks, two codlings, two 

 bibs, 4G long rough dabs, and fifteen Norway pouts. 



In the three hauls in Aberdeen Bay, ofl' Oollieston, Newburgh, and 

 Belhelvie, in from eight to ten fathoms, the actual time of trawHng 

 being only four hours and forty-six minutes, the catch amounted to 

 9345 fishes, of which 6731 were marketable and 9245 unmarketable. 

 The totals for the three drasrs wei'e as follow : — 



There were also two thornback and one starry ray and four anglers, all 

 unmarketable. This was very good fishing ; only a few jelly-fishes 

 were found in the net. In two of the hauls the small-meshed net was 

 around the cod-end ; in the first, which lasted 34 minutes, the cod-end 

 contained 881 fishes, included above, and the small-meshed net 596, 

 viz., 535 whitings, 18 haddocks, one codling, one lemon sole, one sprat, 

 one lesser weever, and 39 common dabs. The second drag lasted 42 

 minutes, and was much more productive. The cod-end of the trawl 

 contained 2649 fishes, included above, of which 1759 (1032 haddocks) 

 were marketable. The small-meshed net contained a lai'ge quantity of 



