SALT-HALIBUT FISHERY. 119 



females in the latter place predominated greatly over the males. I take the following from my 

 diary of August 8 to show the difference in the two places : 



"The fish on this bank have none of the large shrimp in their stomachs that were found in the 

 stomachs of the halibut on the other bank. Here they have mostly lant, there mostly shrimp. 

 None of the common cod have as yet been caught." A few were caught after this. "Sharks and 

 catfish are likewise very few. There are no walruses or seals, few whales, and many birds. , The 

 birds are not as hungry as on the other bank, and it is harder to shoot them, for they do not fly 

 very near." 



NW. from Holsteinborg, July. 

 Food, principally Crustacea. 

 6 males to 1 female. 

 Fish poor. 

 Fish in spots. 



WSW. from Holsteinborg, August. 



Food, principally lant. 



1 male to 7 females. 



Fish fat and vigorous. 



Fish more evenly distributed. 



The halibut do not always swim near the bottom. I saw one leap out of the water where the 

 depth was 40 fathoms, and have caught them on the hand-line when it was only half-way down. 

 Several have followed the bait to the surface, and one even followed the thermometer up twice 

 in succession. Feathers were pulled out of the mouth of one, and the skeleton of a gull, Larus tri- 

 dactylus, was found in the stomach of another. 



