AND DECENNIAL SUMMARY. 



179 



in an irregular manner, in the subsequent years, never, however, 

 reaching the average of 1 per haul. The months in which the 

 highest numbers occur are the first six of the year, the captures 

 increasing from January to May, and then falling to June, 

 though the latter is almost double that of January. The two 

 highest figures occur in April and May, viz. 75 and 88, followed 

 by 57, 54, 50, 28, the numbers respectively for March, June, 

 February and January. The contrast with the second six 

 months of the year is sufficiently bold, July has 12 and the 

 others in succession 6, 1, 2, 3, 9. Perhaps no great weight need 

 at present be placed on this feature, but it is evident that the 

 early months of the year were the most productive in wolf- 

 fishes, and it is these months which are wholly absent in the 

 first period previous to 1889. The highest monthly numbers 

 certainly occur in the second half of the period, but the numbers 

 are small, at most an average of 8 per haul. The circumstances 

 of the two periods are assuredly not equal, but it would only be 

 fair to say that this species seemed to be benefited by the 

 closure. One of the most interesting facts, however, is the 

 prevalence of the species during the first six months of the 

 year in contrast with its paucity in the remaining months. 



Of the Elasmobranchs, or cartilaginous fishes, the numbers 

 were comparatively small. The thornback had its highest 



FORTH. 









Monthly Totals, 1886-1895. 











Thornback 





Grey Skate 





Starry Bay 







Sale- 



Unsale- 





Sale- 



Unsale- 





Sale- 



Unsale- 







able 



able 



Total 



able 



able 



Total 



able 



able 



Total 



Jan. 



24 



17 



41 



7 



4 



11 



6 



9 



15 



Feb. 



32 



15 



47 



21 



8 



29 



7 



20 



27 



Mar. 



32 



20 



52 



15 



5 



20 



4 



8 



12 



Apr. 



42 



2 



44 



19 



— 



19 



10 



11 



21 



May 



55 



1 



56 



16 



4 



20 



3 



4 



7 



June 



42 



2 



44 



35 



3 



38 



5 



15 



20 



July 



55 



4 



59 



18 



3 



21 



8 



9 



17 



Aug. 



101 



7 



107 



44 



17 



61 



8 



8 



16 



Sept. 



65 



6 



71 



48 



28 



76 



3 



7 



10 



Oct. 



91 



10 



101 



40 



9 



49 



5 



14 



19 



Nov. 



56 



18 



74 



24 



4 



28 



8 



7 



15 



Dec. 



34 



14 



48 



15 



3 



18 



15 



14 



29 



12—2 



