of the Fishery Board for Scotland. - 23 
The numbers of the different kinds taken in the small-meshed net may 
be contrasted with the numbers taken in the trawl net. 
In Small-meshed 
In Otter- Net outside 
trawl. Traw] Net. 
Haddock, 2 
Whiting, — 
Codling, - 
Gurnard, ; : ] — 
Plaice, . ; q ; ¥ 240 
Common Dab, : 9 
Long Rough Dab, . _- 
Small or Yellow Sole, . : : 
18 
3 
5 
oO 
bo 
Lo ES) 
bo Ot 
ADaorFruqanor 
Herring, 
Sprat, . : 
Armed Bullhead, 
Goby, sp., 
Sand-eel, 
Pipe-fish, 
Flounder, 
Angler, . 
Thornback, 
—_— 
lll awwea 
277 1576 
In the hour’s drag a total of at least 1853 fishes had entered the trawl, 
of which it retained 277, while the remaining 1576 escaped through the 
meshes of the trawl and were retained by the small-meshed net. The 
result shows that haddocks, both big and little, were practically absent 
from the grounds in the Dornoch Firth which were fished over at the 
time ; that small whitings, too small to be taken in the otter-trawl, were 
present in large numbers, while large whitings were absent, and that small 
codling were there in inconsiderable numbers. No codling or whiting 
were caught in any of the hauls with the ordinary net. The large 
number of small plaice which escaped from the trawl net is also 
noteworthy, and still more, tke common dabs. On the other hand, while 
18 flounders were taken in the otter-trawl, none were got in the small- 
meshed net, the smaller flounders not making their way into water of 64 
fathoms depth, but remaining close in on the beach and the brackish 
water. The abundance of large flounders in the deepish water at this 
time of year is in agreement with what has been found on other 
occasions,* and is referred to more fully below. The presence of young 
gurnards may be noted. 
After leaving the Dornoch Firth, the grounds east of the Suters of 
Cromarty were again visited, as above stated, and an attempt was then 
made to go to Smith Bank, but owing to the strong wind and high sea 
the vessel was forced to turn, and it then proceeded to Aberdeen Bay. 
Here a haul was made off the Quarries, on February 11th, in from eight to 
twelve fathoms of water ; it lasted for an hour, the small-meshed net being 
attached.as described above. There was a strong north-west breeze and 
a rough sea, and the number of fishes taken in the otter-trawl was only 
60, 47 being marketable and 13 unmarketable. The catch consisted of 
7 cod, 20 codlings, all marketable, 14 marketable haddocks, and 3 
whitings among the round-fishes, while the flat-fishes were represented by 
only 7 common dabs, no plaice being taken, and there were also 9 starry 
rays. 
: * Twenty-first Annual Report, Part 111., p. 44. 
