of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



131 



fish at Aberdeen in January 1885, and January and February 1890. 

 The second period coin prises five months more than the first period, 

 and this would more than account for the increase in the gross catch. 

 Omitting the years 1890, 1892, and 1893, the annual quantities of 

 flat-fishes, round fishes, and the gross catches (which include skates, 

 congers, and "other fish") areas follow: — 



* Eleven months. 



Comparing the four years 1886-89, and the last four years, 1897- 

 1900, cod increased from 1683 cwts. to 3591 cwts., ling from 37^ 

 cwts. to 681 cwts., saithe and hake from 114 cwts. to 758 cwts., 

 haddocks from 9780 cwts. to 10,406 cwts., whitings from 173| cwts. 

 to 516 cwts. Turbot diminished from 268| cwts. to 89| cwts., brill 

 from 97| cwts. to 4 cwts., lemon soles from 770^ cwts. to 31 4| cwts., 

 plaice (including dabs, witches, and megrims) from 5639 cwts. to 1700^ 

 cwts. — and the decrease was undoubtedly mostly in plaice, witches and 

 megrims having increased in recent years — while halibut increased from 

 16| cwts. to 90| cwts. The difterence in the proportions of the various 

 kinds of fishes is well brought out by a contrast of the extreme years, 

 the above remarks as to the classification in the former year being kept 



The intrinsic features of the statistics clearly demonstrate that the 

 vessel in the later years was working for the most pai"t in the deep sea, 

 and in the absence of particulars as to the places where the fish were 



