Vlll PEE FACE. 



pense to the country of the abyssal depths of far distant 

 oceans. 



In the published sailing charts, some slight descrip- 

 tions of the fishing grounds of the North Sea are given, 

 but the information is painfully meagre. Thus we find 

 the composition of the vast submarine valleys and 

 plains described as follows : — " Fine sand — white shells 

 — brown sand and black si^ecks — coarse sand and red- 

 dish gravel— white ross — fine whitey-brown sand — 

 rubbish — oyster shells — and a substance similar to 

 grapes — substances resembUng white plums — sandy 

 with a mixture of mud — soundings resembling biscuit 

 dust — coarse gravelly soundings — white muddy sound- 

 ings — black and grey stones — yellowish coarse bottom 

 — greyish coarse sand — -red sandy soundings — rubbish 

 and scruff — moor-log from the Texel ground. 



These soundings are without doubt of the greatest 

 service to fishermen in ascertaining their whereabouts 

 in the North Sea ; but how much more interesting 

 would it be if the real consistency (in a natural 

 history sense) of the bottom of the North Sea became 

 for the first time a subject of investigation and know- 

 ledge. 



This knowledge obtained, practical results to the 

 fishermen themselves would follow ; for when their 

 observations have been carefulty recorded, consolidated, 

 and deductions made therefrom, we shall be enabled, 

 with much greater accuracy than at present, to predi- 

 cate the times and places at which the shoals of fish 

 (whether round fish or flat) assemble or disperse, 

 according to the instinct given them by the Great 

 Creator. 



We want also to know more about the balance of 

 life, or as Professor Owen so ably called it, the '' Police 



