184 INVESTIGATIONS IN FORTH, 1886. 



1886, and was continued in July, September, October and 

 November. Only in June, however, were the stations syste- 

 matically gone over (with the exception of VIII.). Twenty- 

 seven hauls of the trawl produced a total of 5,896 fishes, of 

 which 4,649 were saleable and 1,247 unsaleable. Of the 

 saleable fishes the majority were haddocks, no less than 2,273 

 having been captured, or an average of about 84 per haul. 

 The largest captures were in July, e.g. 357 and 382 respectively 

 occurring at Stations III. and VII. The average number per 

 haul in July was 297, the next (78) being in June. The other 

 three months were much less productive in haddocks. The 

 deeper waters of the Forth probably prove more attractive to 

 the haddock than the shallow waters of St Andrews Bay. The 

 next were plaice — 1,056, or 39 per haul, most having been 

 procured in September, viz., an average of 80 per haul ; dabs 

 791 or 29 per haul ; lemon-dabs (total) 445 ; long-rough dabs 

 419; whiting 253; gurnards 279 or 10 per haul; cod 241. In 

 contrasting these captures with those in St Andrews Bay the 

 great proportion of haddocks is a prominent feature, about nine 

 times as many being present in the Forth. Cod and whitings 

 are also in larger numbers. Gurnards, on the other hand, were 

 much more common, and plaice and dabs were twice as numerous 

 in St Andrew^s Bay. Lemon-dabs and long-rough dabs were 

 more abundant in the Forth, while flounders were more common 

 in St Andrews. As already mentioned, the deeper water and 

 more varied bottom, together with the periodical abundance of 

 herrings probably proved a greater attraction to both cod and 

 haddock. The absence of thornback for the first year in the 

 returns of the " Garland " in St Andrews Bay leaves some 

 hesitation about a comparison of the skate of the two areas, but 

 on the whole they correspond, with the exception of the sandy 

 ray, which occurs only in the area of St Andrews, a feature, 

 however, of no moment. If we consider the months, it is 

 found that July with its 4 hauls produced 2,223 food-fishes or 

 555 per haul, June with 8 hauls gave 1,813 or 164 per haul, 

 September with 5 hauls l,l7l or 236 per haul, October with 

 4 hauls 576 or 144 per haul, and November with 6 hauls 618 

 or 102 per haul. 



