The Log of the Cruise of 1905—1906 51 



trawling all day in 90 to 200 fathoms produced very poor results, 

 beyond capture of long-spined urchins, big holothuria, and three skate 

 and one small megrim ; and on the 30th, coming out into deeper water 

 (Cape St. Mary bearing north-west by north eighteen miles), and 

 trawling in 310 fathoms, again there was little but echinoderms. On 

 such a bottom it is rare to get fish, but amongst other things, such as 

 Homola barbata, Pagurus striatus, and coral, was one small sole (Solea 

 prqfundicola) and a very small skate. 



From March 30 to April 4 was a continuous s;ale from south-east A v r \ l 4 - 



1906. 



when the ship was lying to, with storm trysail and storm-jib ; but on 2 S ^S 6 

 April 4, the weather moderating, a sounding was made in 41 7 fathoms, 

 forty-six miles west from Cape Spartel. A good number of fishes 

 were captured, including Mora mediterranean Scorpama dacfyloptera, 

 Hoplostethus mediterraneus, Conger vulgaris, Pomatomus telescopinus 

 and three species of Macrurus, along with a large and fine Polycheles 

 typhlops, echinoderms, and sponges. 



On April 5, thirty-one miles west-south-west of Cape Spartel, the 

 trawl was shot in 187 fathoms, and a number of fish, including 

 Torpedo nobiliana, Scorpama scrofa, Denies macropthalmus, Rhombus 

 Boscii, Merlucius vulgaris, Gadus argenteus, Pristiurus melanostomus , 

 Scorpama dactyloptera, Macrurus Imvis, and a number of large and 

 small Crustacea, were taken. 



This was the last trawl of the cruise, the ship returning to 

 Gibraltar, where, after provisioning and a few necessary renewals, she 

 set sail to England, having completed a fairly successful cruise, con- 

 sidering the obstacles in the way, such as almost continuous bad 

 weather, and as regards the trawling outfit, rather unsuitable ap- 

 paratus. A much heavier trawl-beam, with the trawl-heads made of 

 broad flat iron, would prevent the trawl sinking so heavily in the mud, 

 would allow the trawl to move faster and capture more fish. The 

 depth of the present trawl-heads is only about 20 inches, and when it 

 sinks in mud it does not allow sufficient room, and probably a depth of 

 3 feet would not be too much. All the bottom of the net ought to be 

 double-meshed to prevent the inevitable tearing which results over 



7—2 



