96 TRAWLTNG-SHTPS AND AREAS. 



as they are sometimes present in great numbers. The liners 

 work on the same ground and catch chiefly the latter fishes. 

 There is no indication that fish-food has been seriously inter- 

 fered with on this ground, but, on the contrary, invertebrate 

 life of all kinds is in great abundance. Moreover, the enormous 

 numbers of pelagic sand-eels, from 15 to 33 mm. in length, 

 intermingled with swarms of young flat-fishes, on these grounds, 

 and on which many of the fishes were feeding in May, is a 

 feature of moment. In 1884 the captures on the northern part 

 of this area during the summer months were comparatively 

 limited, and it was only the advent of the herring in autumn 

 that caused a notable increase of white fishes. At the distance 

 from land just mentioned, in 1894, each haul in daylight pro- 

 duced from a basket to a basket and a half of lemon-dabs, about 

 three-fourths of a basket of large haddocks, and four to five 

 boxes of small haddocks. At night, a few ling, cat-fishes and cod 

 were added to the catch. Few whitings were procured, and the 

 same feature was occasionally seen in 1884, for the whitings are 

 often in the upper parts of the water. Very few cuttle-fishes 

 occurred in May. The ' catch ' just mentioned is not a heavy 

 one, and is probably surpassed by other ships, but it at any rate 

 shows that fishes are still present in considerable numbers. 

 This is further demonstrated by examining the ' catch ' of a liner 

 with six men on board, and which had been at sea about 32 

 hours, fishing on the 28th and 29th of May, probably from 28 

 to 30 miles off Aberdeen, viz., 9 boxes of large haddocks, the 

 largest fish reaching the length of 20 inches, the rest smaller 

 (at 245. per box), 3^ boxes of small haddocks, a few cod, dabs, 

 one lemon-dab, and a few whitings — making a total of about 

 £12 for the six men. In the same market lately the large 

 haddocks brought 295. per box, so that the above is probably 

 not an unusual price. 



At the southern end of the ground just mentioned, viz., off 

 Montrose, a trawler working, in 1891, about 25 miles off, in 

 August, landed the very high catch of 500 boxes of haddocks in 

 a single night. In 1894 the takes ranged, per week, from 100 to 

 140 boxes of haddocks and flat-fishes, besides cod, coal-fishes, 

 and gurnards. Plaice were said to be rather scarce, even 



