78 JOURNAL OP MARINE ZOOLOGY AND MICROSCOPY. 



mesh was used, which had a net of 4|- inch niesh laced round the cod end 

 in such a manner that no fish could get into the net of 4^ inch mesh 

 without first passing through the net of 7 inch mesh. 



Haul made June 29th, 1894, net down one hour : — 



/ 397 plaice, average length, 9 inches. 



In the net of \ 100 dabs, " " 8 



7 inch mesh, j 16 flounders, " " 9 " 



{ 1 skate, « " 7|- broad. 



Total.. 514 



Tr, fi,o r,o+ n -f ( 4 > 710 P laice > average length 6J- inches, 

 in me net oi 2 515 dab ti tl .^ 



4i inch mesh. 1 ' oc ' ,-, - 



2 (35 young ray, very small 



Total.. 7, 260 



The above shows that under ordinary circumstances 7,260 small fish 

 in the one short drag would have escaped through the 7-inch mesh, and 

 remained to grow larger. As will be seen by the sizes, the fish taken in 

 the 7 inch mesh net were mostly over J-lb., whilst those which passed 

 through were all under that weight. 



"In a second haul, made on July 19th, 1894, the result was as 

 follows (net down 1^ hours) : 



23 soles, length in inches 9 J to 14^ 

 " In net of 7 -inch ) 131 plaice, " " 8~ " 11 



mesh. i 19 dabs, " " 9 " 10 



1 skate, " " 10 broad. 



Total. 



.174 



tt 





u 



5 







6 soles, 



to 8 





i 610 plaice, 



n 





11 



4 



" 8 



In net of 4|~inch 



) 323 dabs, 



n 





a 



4 



" 7 



mesh. 



) 4 gurnet 



a 





tt 



6 







' 1 whiting, 



a 





a 



6 







( 87 young ray, 



very 



small, 







Total. .1,031 



The result of the second drag shows that under ordinary circum- 

 stances out of a total of 1,205 fish, 1,031 which were under 4 oz. in 

 weight would have passed through the net of 7 inch mesh, and so 

 escaped, and further, that the 7 inch mesh will take soles much under 

 the size represented at some of the inquiries made in the district. 

 Although the proportions as regards number retained in the net of 7 inch 

 mesh was much smaller than that retained in the net of 4|- mesh, it 

 represented a larger monetary value, owing to the fish being larger and 

 in better condition." 



Comment on such figures is superflous ; they demonstrate conclusively 

 the need for a thorough local investigation here, with, of course, careful 



