68 FISHING GEOUNDS OF NORTH AMEEICA. 



Cod and halibut are about the only fish taken in abundance on Banquereau, but hake, 

 ha,ddock, and cusk are sometimes found in small numbers. The Eocky Bottom is principally 

 resorted to for cod, by the hand-line dory fishermen during the summer, and at times several 

 hundred dories can be seen fishing there close together. As a rule, cod are most plentiful on the 

 . eastern part of the bank, although good catches are sometimes made toward the west. The best 

 season for them is from May to November, when the schools gather upon the bank to feed on 

 the lant, squid, crustaceans, and shell-fish, which are then very abundant. 



Halibut are found throughout the entire year off the edges of the bank, where, at depths of 

 one hundred to four hundred fathoms, large numbers are often taken. These localities are 

 apparently both feeding and breeding grounds for halibut, and it is not unusual for a school of 

 these fish to remain several weeks or even months in one locality, although it is very probable that 

 some of the schools observed on the eastern side of the bank in the spring are migrating toward 

 the north. 



The principal places for halibut are along the southern and eastern borders of the bank; 

 the Southwest Prong (in about 44° north latitude, and between 68° 30' and 58° 55' west 

 longitude); the Middle Prong (44° 14' north latitude and 58° west longitude); and the Eastern 

 Slope (from 44° 28' to 45° north latitude), in depths of one hundred and fifty to four hundred 

 fathoms. These deep-water areas are rocky, and support a very rich growth of Gorgonian corals, 

 sea anemones, etc. 



ARTIMON BANK. 



Artimon Bank lies north of the eastern part of Blanquereau, from which it is separated by a 

 narrow gully. It is of such limited extent (about one hundred and twenty square miles) that, 

 compared with the latter, it is of but slight importance as a fishing-ground. The fishermen 

 generally prefer to fish on the larger bank, and therefore know but little concerning the 

 abundance of fish here, although it is certain that cod occur in greater or less numbers. This 

 bank is fourteen miles long and ten miles wide, with depths of thirty-eight to fifty fathoms, 

 and a bottom of coarse gravel and rocks. 



MISAINE BANIf. 



This bank lies north of the western two-thirds of Banquereau, from which it is mainly sep- 

 arated by a channel about twenty miles wide. The eastern prolongations of these banks, however, 

 approach one another quite closely. Misaine Bank has a very irregular outline, its general trend 

 being about northeast by east and southwest by west. It lies between the parallels of 44° 55' 

 and 45° 45' north, and the meridians of 58° 06' and 59° 50' west. Its greatest length is, therefore, 

 about eighty miles and its greatest width about forty miles, its superficial area amounting to 

 about seventeen hundred square geographical miles. The depths of water range from forty to 

 sixty fathoms, and the bottom is generally broken and rocky. 



But little is known concerning the abundance of fish on this bank, as it has been very rarely 



visited by vessels. It is probable, however, that occasional visits have demonstrated that cod 



are less abundant here than elsewhere in this region, and that this bank does not afford as profitable 



fishing as some others not far distant from it. This seems remarkable when we consider its large 



size and close proximity to Banquereau, which is an exceedingly valuable ground for both cod and 



halibut. 



CANSO BANK. 



Oanso Bank is situated to the southeast of Cape Canso, Nova Scotia, from which it derives 

 its name. The distance of its western end from the cape is about twelve miles. It is really a 



