AND DECENNIAL SUMMARY. 171 



waters beyond the Island of May and further outwards. The 

 closure of the Forth does not appear to influence the abundance 

 of this species, and it is doubtful if any extension of the limit, 

 e.g. to 13 miles, could affect its distribution. 



The cod is one of those forms which suffers in its young 

 condition (codling) from the liners in the Forth. Thus numerous 

 young cod about ten inches in length were captured on the 

 hard ground near Crail this autumn \ The comparative regu- 

 larity of their size, indeed, attracted notice, and demonstrated 

 how other methods of fishing than trawling could decimate the 

 young fishes. As formerly mentioned, such forms were caught 

 simply because they held the ground where the lines were 

 " shot." If a trawl had passed through the area many would 

 likewise have been captured. 



The grey gurnard had a total of 1,059 or 14 per haul, an 

 average of 5 over last year. Of this number 118 were unsale- 

 able, but of course at certain ports all gurnards are generally 

 unsaleable. This species also shows the zigzag records of a 

 food-fish throughout the ten years. Beginning with an average 

 of 10, it twice fell below this, viz. in 1890 and 1894, when the 

 average was 9, twice it stood at 13, viz. in 1888 and 1889, 

 three times at 15, viz. 1887, 1891, and 1893, and only once 

 reached 19, viz. in 1892. No species could more clearly 

 illustrate the futility of attempting to increase the supply of 

 fishes in the open sea and its neighbourhood by the closure of 

 inshore areas. The numbers remained very much at the end 

 as they were at the beginning, and throughout showed only the 

 ordinary variations. This species seems to reach its maximum 

 in May and June in the area of the Forth, and to diminish in 

 the winter months. It is also in considerable abundance in July, 

 August and September. In the Review in the 14th Report of 

 the Fishery Board it is pointed out^ that gurnards increased by 

 an average of 3 per haul during the last five years of the 

 experiments, and it is curious that the number of hauls of the 

 trawl during May was greatly in excess of those in the first 

 period. Thus 18 hauls during May in the first period were 

 balanced by 44 in the second. Further, of two years in the latter 

 1898, vide p. 30. 2 p. 141. 



