Holt — Survey of Fishing Grounds^ West Coast of Ireland. 445 



and rather stony ground, amongst weeds. It is probably pretty generally distributed 

 in suitable localities on the west coast, and may prove to be less rare than is at present 

 supposed. It is well known in the Mediterranean. 



NORWAY TOPKNOT. -Ehomhus norvegicus. 



The only specimen of this fish, which has not previously been recorded from Irish 

 waters, occurred at 30 to 31 fathoms, off St. John's Point, in Donegal Bay, the 

 soundings being sand, gravel, and rock. ; it was 3|- inches in length. A specimen 

 has been obtained from the Bristol Channel (Couch), and a few have been taken on 

 the Scotch Coast and off the Shetlands, in various depths, 6 to 18, 43, 45 and 90 

 fathoms (Giinther) . It is not very rare on the northern shores of Norway, and, on 

 account of its small size, and possible predilection for rocky ground or its neighbour- 

 hood, may have been to some extent overlooked in British waters. 



PLAICE. — Pleuronectes plafessa. 



Some 50 or 60 Plaice had to be omitted, as either the measurements or the soundings 

 are not forthcoming. The table bears out Fulton's statement that the shallow inshore 

 waters may be regarded as the nursery of this species. It also shows that on this coast 

 large Plaice are very abundant in the inshore waters during the period of observation, 

 which does not include much of the spawning period. Dr. Fulton tells me that this 

 is also the case, except at spaivning time, on the East coast of Scotland. In evidence 

 given before the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries, the captain of a steam trawler recorded 

 the capture, during a total of 30 days' fishing in the months of July, August, September 

 and October, 1890, of no less than 6060 plaice, which were almost all obtained in 

 Downies Bay. This number includes only the saleable forms, i. e. fine fish, since the 

 smaller ones are not worth sending to market at that distance. Downies Bay is an 

 inner recess of Sheephaven, and thus well within any territorial limits ; and Mr. Green 

 tells me that the ground on which this trawler worked was above the 10-fathom line. 

 A glance at the results of our own fishing in the same bay, at the end of May, shows 

 that fine plaice are fairly abundant at that season also, whilst immature forms are also 

 present. In Blacksod and Cleggan Bays we also found numbers of fine fish, and 

 immature fish also. Thus, we cannot distinguish on this coast between the habitats of 

 mature and immature Plaice, that is, if we wish the distinction to be equally applicable 

 throughout all seasons of the year. Our observations show, during the period which 

 they comprehend, a scarcity of Plaice in more than 35 fathoms of water ; but I do not 



