Holt — Survey of Fishing Grounds, West Coast of Ireland. 435 



about an inch long, were taken in one haul in very shallow water, on muddy ground 

 (peat) covered with a smaU woolly-looking dark-green weed, in company with many 

 young Pleuronectids. This was in May. The larger specimens (2 to 4 inches) were 

 mostly taken amongst the Zostera beds, so abundant in shallow bays on this coast, and 

 most important as nurseries for the young of this and several others members of the 

 genus Gadus. Others were taken amongst Laminaria and other brown weeds. Some 

 post-larval stages (not included in the Table) occurred in the tow-nets. 



On the east coast of Scotland, small specimens up to 3 or 4 inches aie fairly 

 abundant in the rock-pools at low water during the summer months, but much less 

 so than the Coal-fish, and indeed than their older brethren on the deeper part of the 

 Laminarian zone. For this fact Fulton's observations seem to account, since he 

 tells us that whilst most of his specimens under four inches in length were found in 

 comparatively shallow in-shore water (but by no means close to the margin). Some 

 were also got at depths of twenty and fifty-five fathoms (in July). Thus, in Scotch 

 waters, the very young cod have a pretty extensive vertical (and horizontal) range, a 

 range of which we have no evidence on the west coast of Ireland. 



The older immature cod, about 7 inches, and others from about 12 to 15 inches 

 haunt the outer Laminarian zone on the east coast of Scotland during the summer 

 months, as also I believe in Ireland, and are variously known as Red or Eock Cod 

 and in Ireland as Tamlin Cod. Large mature cod also approach the shore so closely 

 as to be occasionally caught in salmon stake-nets. Our largest example, 41 inches 

 long, was got between 10 and 15 fathoms, and other mature specimens occurred 

 between 5 and 10. Whether present or not in water of less than five fathoms cannot 

 well be judged by our observations, since most of the hauls in such depth were made 

 with a small shrimp-trawl, not efficacious for the capture of large and active fish 

 During the summer months the cod is said to seek deeper water, and has been 

 captured at depths exceeding 100 fathoms. 



HADDOCK — Gadus mglefinus. 



112 Haddock were taken and measured. Only 1 was immature, viz. a specimen of 

 6 inches. The table shows that the vertical range of the adults is considerable ; but 

 that, on the coast examined, they do not appear to extend into very shallow water. 

 The evidence of the trawl is not to be too impKcitly relied on in the case of an active 

 fish such as this ; but the entire absence of Haddock above the 10 fathom line may 

 perhaps be interpreted to mean that they do not enter shallow or more or less land- 



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