156 INVESTIGATIONS IN FORTH, 1893. 



experiments, extending over 8 years, 3,978 or 41 per haul 

 were saleable, and 8,522 or 88^ per haul unsaleable. 



It might be said, however, that if we glance at a table (viz. 

 Table XI.) of captures of haddocks from 1886 onward, that at 

 any rate the saleable haddocks had greatly diminished — since 

 the average in 1886 was 77 per haul, while subsequently it had 

 never reached more than 44 (1888), and had been as low as 11 

 (1892). But the same argument is applicable to the un- 

 saleable, in which the range is even greater, viz. from 1 to 

 112, and, besides, the accurate separation of the saleable from 

 the unsaleable was not carried out in 1886 on the same lines 

 as subsequently. The captures show no lack of haddocks, but 

 demonstrate the proverbial chance of the pursuit. 



In another way the contrast with 1887, for instance, may 

 be brought out, viz. by calculating the average of the haddocks 

 caught in the colder and in the warmer months. Thus in the 

 former 1899 or 44 per haul were procured, while in the latter 

 no less than 10,581 or 199 per haul were obtained. When 

 weighed in the same balance, therefore, the prominent position 

 assigned to 1887 disappears. 



The average for last year had been but a fifth of the 

 number, and yet, without preliminary warning, this great 

 increase demonstrated the insecurity of the position held 

 by the pessimist, and showed that now, as in all previous 

 times, there are few departments so full of surprises as in 

 the fisheries. A consideration of the history of the herring- 

 fishery, for instance, is an excellent illustration, and it is 

 still more striking in those fishes with pelagic eggs. July, 

 August and September were the months in which the had- 

 docks were in greatest numbers — both saleable and unsale- 

 able. In regard to size, comparatively few, only 22, were 

 large, 231 being medium, and the small saleable (from 8 to 

 9 inches) formed the majority (3,727). The large haddocks were 

 obtained chiefly in the colder months, probably in connection 

 with the advent of herrings in January and February. 



The next in numbers is the dab — 3,623, or 37 per haul, the 

 second highest in the 8 years. Of this number 1,440 or 15 

 ^ It has to be borne in mind that decimals are avoided throughout. 



