98 



ahundaiue varies exreediiig-ly from season to season, the 

 variations in ilie nature ami abundance of flat and other 

 fishes beino- g-reater than ean possibly be accounted for by 

 accidental circumstances; again, during the mouths of 

 October, Xovember and December, in wliiclv we have 

 trawled in Luce Hay w(; liave (d)served liardly any 

 variation in the numbers an<l hinds and sizes of fishes 

 which might not be due to tlie accidents of the 

 observations. In Fishguard Bay there was a hsli fauna 

 both abundant and \'arious. It ought to l)e stated, 

 liowever, that we have only one ov two observations 

 of the fish on this ground, and it may easily be tlie case 

 that variations in distribution as marked as those on 

 Hhtckpool (jround may occui- in different seasons of tlie 

 yeai'. Obviously, closure of an area does uot alwavs 

 produce the same results; many other circumstances 

 pliysical conditicms, fishing in adjacent Avater, and the 

 like, must operate in masking the effects of the closure. 



The liaul outsi(h' Fishguard Bay presents no features 

 wortliv of note. 



3. Food of Plaice and Dabs. 



The following obsei'vations relate to the examination 

 of the stomachs of ])laice and dabs taken together on the 

 same giound, ajid in the same hauls with the trawl-net. 

 Comparatively few fishes have so far been examined, but 

 it is hoped to devote considerably more time in tlie future 

 to this branch of work. The examinations have been 

 made from tlie ])oint of view of the supposed competition 

 of the two species witli each other in respect of food. The 

 individual sizes of the fishes examined are not given, but 

 in the great majority of cases the plaice Avere frtim Sin. to 

 about 12in. in length (Din. would represent the average 

 size), while tlie dabs were rather smaller (about Sin. long). 



