INVESTIGATIONS IN FORTH, 1890. 



143 



Those under 7 inches (452 in number) were procured :- 



No. of 







No. of 







Hauls 







Hauls 







9 



February 



23 



6 



August 



45 



9 



March 



39 



5 



September 



10 



9 



April 



86 



9 



October 



31 



9 



May 



16 



7 



November 



51 



7 



July 



33 



9 



December 



58 



The captures of the larger series are sufficiently varied, but 

 it is clear that there was a steady increase till October, when 

 the maximum occurred. It might be supposed that the great 

 increase in October was due to the growing fishes seeking the 

 bottom after certain kinds of food. On the other hand, a glance 

 at the table shows a tendency to a marked increase in the outer 

 Stations VIII. and IX. in September, and then, next month, 

 these and the stations in line with them, viz. VII. and III., 

 were all accentuated, as if a shoal had about that period sought 

 the inshore ramifications. According to present notions those 

 between 7 and 9 inches would be in their second year in 

 October, so that there may be a tendency shorewards also in 

 their second autumo, probably in pursuit of a favourite food. 

 The irregularity of growth may account for the prevalence of 

 small whitings throughout the year, as shown in the list of those 

 under 7 inches, though in the later months the most advanced 

 young of the season may be included. 



The haddock succeeds the whiting with a total of 2,474 or 

 31 per haul, nearly double what it was the previous year, the 

 saleable being 2,291 or 29 per haul, and the unsaleable 183 or 

 2 per haul. Of the foregoing, 1,445 were between 8 and 9 

 inches and 183 under 8 inches. They were procured as 

 follows : — 



No. of 





Under 



Between 



Between 



Large 



Hauls 





8 ill. 



8 & 9 in. 



10-14 in. 



15-26 in 



9 



February 



22 





12 



12 



9 



March 



34 





11 



5 



9 



April 



19 



13 



16 



3 



9 



May 



59 



29 



21 



13 



7 



July 





675 



37 



10 



6 



August 



4 



244 



8 



8 



5 



September 



5 



304 



304 



10 



9 



October 



22 



146 



258 



7 



7 



November 



11 



6 



38 



6 



9 



December 



7 



28 



06 



12 



