of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 

 I. — Round Fishes. 



129 



Among flat-fishes there was a considerable decrease in the quantity, 

 viz., from 13,307| cwts. in the first eight years to 62901 in the second 

 eight years. Turbot diminished from 41 1| cwts. to 215| cwts., but in 

 one of the former years, as ah'eady stated, brill were included with 

 turbot. Biill declined from 99 cwts. (for seven years) to 67f cwts., and 

 lemon soles from 2046| cwts. to 1126f cwts. The most marked decline 

 was in plaice, and although other flatfish were included among them in 

 the early years (p. 127) this circumstance does not account for the 

 diminution. In the first eight years the quantity was 10,041 cwts., and 

 in the second eight years 4026f cwts. ; if the other flatfishes which were 

 combined with plaice in the early years are included in both periods 

 (dabs, witches, megrims) the respective totals are 10,741 cwts. and 

 481 5| cwts. On the other hand, halibut, always separately recorded, 

 increased from 6|^ cwts. to 65| cwts. ; megrims, as far as indicated, also 

 increased, while the quantity of witches in the four years, 1889-1892, 

 amounted to 683i cwts., and in the last eight years to 307| cwts. The 

 diminution in witches was most probably due to the closure of the 

 Moray Firth at the end of 1892, since they are abundant in certain 

 parts there, and the quantities in the yeai'S immediately following fell 

 to a few cwts. The increase in the quantities of witches in 1897 and 

 the succeeding years, and the increase in halibut, ling, hake, and 

 megiims points to the grounds having been generally very different in 

 I 



