26 



Fishery Board for Scotland. 



of the large megrims (Figs. 11, 13) ; here also there is evidence, both 

 from Area X. and Area XIII. , that megrims were more plentiful about 

 1903 to 1905 than in later years, but here again the smaller catches of 

 subsequent years show no sign of gxadual or persistent diminution. 



TABLE IX. 



Average Catch of Large and Small Megrims, in Cwts., per 100 Hours' 



The Lemon Sole. 



The lemon sole is, in some ways, of particular interest to us. 

 Though not nearly so valuable as the true, or black, sole, which is a 

 southern fish and a stranger to the Scottish coasts, it is the most 

 valuable of om' ordinary flat-fishes. In the second place, it is es- 

 pecially plentiful close to the East Coast of Scotland, on the very 

 grounds where oru trawl-fishery is most diligently prosecuted ; and 

 thirdly, in spite of the amount of fishing to which it is subject, it keeps 

 up its numbers remarkably well, and is in strong contrast to the plaice 

 in this important respect. In all om- coastal regions (Table X.), the 

 period of maximal abundance of the lemon sole (at least of the large 

 lemons) is in spring or summer, from March to August. Its maximal 

 abundance is somewhat earlier (as will be seen from Table X.) on the 

 Western areas, C, D., and XIII. ; a little later in Area XVII., the region 

 including the Pentland Firth ; and, later still, in the Shetland area 

 (X.), and also in Area XXIX., in which last the greatest catches on 

 the average are obtained. 



Small lemons were exceptionally abundant in Area XIV., to the 



