180 



INVESTIGATIONS IN FORTH, 1895, 



numbers in August and October (107 and 101 respectively for 

 the months of the decade). In the totals of the months nothing 

 striking occurs. The smallest numbers (41 and 44) are in 

 January and April. No evident interference with the ordinary 

 operations of nature in this species seems to have followed the 

 closure. The same may be predicated of the grey skate, which 

 had its highest monthly numbers in August and September 



Skate gliding through the water. 



(61 and 76), and the lowest in January and December (11 and 

 18). The monthly totals of the starry ray have no apparent 

 regularity in their increase and diminution. The highest 

 numbers occur in December (29) and February (27). The 

 others were captured too rarely to be of service. A considera- 

 tion of this group affords no grounds for believing that the 

 food-fishes of the Frith of Forth have been in any noteworthy 



