22 Part III. — Tiventy-second Anniicd Report 



sandy rays. The number of anglers caught was exceptionally large, being 

 431 — 150 of them being taken to market. Eighty-three herrings were 

 taken, most of them in one haul, and also twelve sprats. 



During most of the time of fishing at Burghead and between it and 

 Cromarty the wind had been blowing with fair strength, although variable 

 in direction. On the 10th it increased in force, and a shift was made to 

 the Dornoch Firth, where four hauls were made in from about six to 

 twelve fathoms. The quantity of fish caught was small, the total in each 

 of three of them being only a little over four hundred of all kinds ; in one 

 it amounted to 710. Few haddocks, cod, or whiting were obtained, the 

 bulk of the catch, such as it was, consisting of plaice. A considerable 

 number of flounders were taken, nearly all of large size and engaged in 

 spawning, the four hauls yielding 215. 



The total number of fishes got in the four drags in the Dornoch Firth — 

 the actual time of fishing being seventeen hours and ten minutes — was 

 2027, which represents an average per hour of 118-0. The marketable 

 amounted to 1476, or an average of 86*0 per hour, and the unmarketable 

 551, or an average of 32-1 per hour. The flat-fishes greatly exceeded the 

 round-fishes in number, there being 1798 of them and only 203 of the 

 latter. Plaice were the most abundant, and after them common dabs. 

 Only 102 haddocks were got, none of them unmarketable, and six whitings, 

 all of which, except one, were unmarketable. The paucity of small 

 haddocks during the whole period of fishing on this occasion is 

 noteworthy. 



Only one recorded haul in Aberdeen Bay was made on this trip, 

 and the number of fishes taken was still less than in the Moray Firth. 

 The haul lasted for four hours, and 155 fishes were caught, of which only 

 thirty-five were marketable. These comprised one cod, thirteen codling, 

 fifteen haddocks, three plaice, two lemon dabs, and one flounder, the 

 unmarketable consisting chiefly of whitings and common dabs. 



The aggregate total of fishes taken and recorded in the seventeen hauls 

 in February was 16,268, of which 9340 were marketable and 6298 

 unmarketable. The total of flat-fishes was 13,455, and of round 

 fishes 2016. 



The quantity of fish landed at the market by the vessel, as recorded 

 by the Fishery Officer, amounted to 47| cwts., as follows : — 



Cod. Codling. Ling. Coal-fish. Haddock. Whiting. Turbot. Brill. Lemon Dab. 

 7i 2 ^ 6 2i i i i 4 



Skate, 



II. 



The next series of trawlings was made in March on board the 

 " Devanha," the catches being again recorded by Mr. James Ingram, jun. 

 In all, twenty -two recorded hauls were made, three in Aberdeen Bay on 

 the 16th, three in Burghead Bay on the 17th and 18th, four in the 

 Dornoch Firth, five on Smith Bank off the coast of Caithness, four ofl" 

 Lossiemouth on the 20th, and three off Tarbet Ness on the 21st 

 and 22nd. 



In Aberdeen Bay there was a heavy sea, with a S.S.E. wind, and the 

 catches were poor. The first haul here, in from thirteen to nineteen 

 fathoms off" Newburgh, lasted for four hours, and 514 fishes were 

 captured, 478 being marketable and thirty-six unmarketable. They 

 included 123 cod and 195 marketable codling, as well as 184 plaice — 



