CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 341 

 DIVING FOR SPAWN. 



1862. — As it was considered of material importance by 

 the Honourable the Commissioners of the Fishery Board 

 to ascertain the circumstances connected with the deposi- 

 tation of the spawn of the herring, the cutter " Princess 

 Royal" was appointed to proceed to the localities where 

 the herrings were supposed to deposit their spawn, in the 

 spring or beginning of the year of 1862, and men accus- 

 tomed to use the diving apparatus were employed to go 

 down to the bottom of the sea to examine the grounds, 

 and to bring up such spawn as might be discovered by 

 them; and the following is a short account given by them 

 of their operations : — 



The divers went down to the bottom of the Fluke 

 Hole, off St Monance, where the depth of water was from 

 13 to 15 fathoms, and found that the bottom consisted of 

 coarse sand and small stones, but they found no spawn. 



Various other places were examined, namely, near 

 Gullan Ness, in about 8 to 9 fathoms, where the ground 

 was sand and shells ; between Mickery Island and Charles- 

 ton, from 7 to 10 fathoms ; and again, on the 29th, at the 

 Fluke Hole ; but still no spawn was found. 



The divers having been told that spent herrings had 

 been lately taken near the May, they went down in the 

 beginning of March to the west of the May, in 15 fathoms 

 of water, where they found spawn firmly attached to the 

 stones, and they sent up a considerable number of such 

 stones, of from 3 to 16 lb. weight, with the spawn fixed 

 upon them ; the bottom there was found to be stones, shells, 

 sand, and shingle. 



On the cast of the May, a considerable quantity was 

 found in 20 fathoms water, adhering to coarse shelly sand ; 



