INVESTIGATIONS IN MORAY FRITH, 1897. 209 



detrimental to the distribution of the haddock, — no more indeed 

 than the constant pursuit of the herring has affected its 

 perennial abundance. In the case of both species, periods of 

 scarcity occur, and are used by agitators and others to proclaim 

 the decline, or, it may be, the utter ruin of the fishery, and the 

 urgent need for administrative interference. But both classes 

 are ominously silent when boats are overloaded or nets sunk 

 with their valuable captures, which nature, never failing in 

 resource in the open sea, sends as an answer to their complaints. 

 To return to the consideration of the examination in 1898, 

 it was found that plaice were much fewer beyond the Frith 

 than on Smith Bank. Instead of 64 per haul, only 3 occurred 

 outside. Some suppose that a congregation of plaice ensues on 

 Smith Bank at the breeding season, but it is more probable 

 that this area is the home of the adult plaice, which is more or 

 less local in its groups, the latter being fed by a constant stream 

 of adolescent forms from the shallower waters. Dabs, on the 

 other hand, gave exactly the same average as on Smith Bank, 

 viz. 14 per haul. Lemon-dabs were not half so numerous in 

 the distant area as on Smith Bank, a feature probably due to 

 their peculiar distribution, unless it be held that the trawl 

 singled out this species and the plaice for special destruction. 

 Long-rough dabs were absent in 1884, but had an average of 

 6 per haul in the outer Avaters, a feature in accordance with the 

 view just expressed. Cod were more than twice as numerous 

 on Smith Bank in 1884, viz. 34 per haul, whereas in the open 

 waters in 1898 they had an average of only 14 per haul, but it 

 must not be forgotten that many ships had for weeks scattered 

 their shoals and decimated the stock of the season before these 

 observations were made. Whitings were more numerous in 

 1898 by 12 per haul. Gurnards, again, were less numerous by 

 69 per haul. Ling remained about the same ; while sail-flukes 

 occurred only in the outer waters to the number of 10 per haul. 

 Witches were also more numerous in the proportion of 11 

 instead of 1 per haul. One turbot occurred in three hauls in 

 1884 on Smith Bank and one in 6 hauls in the outer water. 

 Grey skate and starry rays were more numerous in the outer 

 area. 



M. R. 14 



