REVIEW OF TRAWLING REPORT OF 1884. 35 



own exertions, from their enemies. If the larvae are placed in 

 the sea close to a rocky beach or stretch of tidal sand or gravel, 

 it is possible that many would be stranded by the tide. 

 Therefore, though the observation that the young plaice (with 

 eyes now on the right side) abound in spring in the shallow 

 rock-pools and elsewhere is perfectly correct, it is no argument 

 for placing the larval fishes in their neighbourhood, when in a 

 truly pelagic condition. In the same way the spawning ling 

 are found far from the inshore waters, their minute eggs being 

 hatched in the open ocean, and the young stages passed long 

 before reaching the margin of low water. The ling has not, 

 indeed, been found in inshore waters till it reaches about 

 3 inches (3J) in length, and then in very limited numbers. It 

 is more frequently secured when from 6 to 8 inches in length — • 

 at extreme low water at the margins of the rocks. As it gets 

 larger it seeks the offshore, and thus, as in the plaice, there is a 

 double migration — the wafting of the eggs, larval and young 

 fishes shorewards, and the return of the adolescent and the 

 larger forms seawards. A similar life-history appears to be 

 present in many of the food-fishes — e.g., the turbot, brill, and 

 halibut, though in the case of the dab, long-rough dab, and 

 some others, there are marked exceptions, as pointed out in the 

 Trawling Report. Thus, 'the large proportion of immature 

 dabs found 15 miles off St Abb's Head is interesting, and 

 shows that such are not confined to shallow bays like that of 

 St Andrews. Moreover, the occurrence of relatively small 

 specimens at this and even greater distances from land would 

 raise a doubt as to whether all such young forms have been 

 reared on a sandy beach inshore \' Since the foregoing was 

 written, opportunities, by aid of the 'Garland,' for using the 

 special trawl-like tow-net and the mid-water net near and at 

 the bottom on the grounds 15 to 20 miles south-east of the 

 Island of May, have been afforded, and great numbers of larval, 

 post-larval, and young dabs, long-rough dabs, and other forms 

 have been obtained, thus confirming the opinion formerly 

 expressed. Moreover, the trawling work of the 'Garland' on 

 its various stations from the Moray Firth to the Forth bears out 

 1 Report Boy. Com. on Trawling, p. 361. 



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