THE SEA FISHERIES OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 93 



little current. The set of what there is, however, is mostly in a west, 

 erly direction. Cod and halibut are the principal fish taken, though 

 the other species of bottom fish are found in limited quantity. The for- 

 mer are generally the most abundant in the spring, from the first of 

 March to June, although good fares are obtained throughout almost the 

 entire year. For more than twenty-five years the Western Bank has 

 been a favorite resort of the halibut fishermen. At first these fish were 

 found very plenty in from 45 to CO fathoms, and since 1876 have been 

 caught in great numbers along the edge on the south and east sides in 

 from 100 to 300 fathoms. Like the cod, they are found during the en- 

 tire year, the period of greatest abundance, however, being from the 

 first of January to the first of Jctober. The Western Bank may be con- 

 sidered both as a feeding and spawning ground for the cod and halibut. 

 It abounds with shell-fish and crustaceans, as well as with several spe- 

 cies of small fish upon which the cod and halibut prey. Although the 

 cod do not gather in such great schools in winter as they do on George's 

 Bank, it is nevertheless quite evident that they assemble at that season 

 for the purpose of reproduction. Usually they are found the most plen- 

 tiful on the western part of the bank in winter and early spring, but 

 as the season advances they move into shoaler water in the vicinity of 

 Sable Island, the " bend" of the island and about the bars being favorite 

 grounds during the late spring and early summer. Vessels from all 

 along the New England coast and from the British Provinces resort to 

 this bank to pursue the cod fishery, but fishing for halibut is almost ex- 

 clusively carried on by the Gloucester fleet. 



THE GULLY. 



Although the " Gully " cannot be called a bank, being just what its 

 name suggests, a deep gully between two banks, it is nevertheless too 

 important as a halibut fishing-ground to be omitted from a general de- 

 scription of the fishing banks. This lies between Bankquereau and the 

 Western Bank, being bound on the north and east by the former, and 

 on the south and west by the latter. The entire length of the gully is 

 more than 60 miles, but the halibut ground is of less extent, and the 

 limits, east and west, may be placed at the 59th and 60th meridians of 

 west longitude. It is about 18 miles wide, on the eastern part, from 

 41° 08' to 44° 26' N. latitude, but narrower farther west. There 

 are several ridges with rocky and gravelly bottom and a depth of 75 

 to 125 .fathoms, on which the halibut are usually caught. On either 

 side of these ridges the bottom is generally sand or mud, excepting in 

 the eastern section, where it is composed mostly of pebbles and sharp 

 rocks. 



The current generally sets in a westerly direction, but is very irregu- 

 lar in strength; an easterly wind often causes it to increase very per. 

 ceptibly, while at other times there may be but little or no tide. When 

 the halibut fishing first began on this ground it was carried on chiefly 



