SALT-HALIBUT FISHERY. 117 
Table for July and August, representing the times of setting and hauling trawls, §o.—Continued. 
Date. Set. Hauled. Fish. | Depth. Remarks. 
Fath. 
Ang. 16 | 6.30a.m..../ 810am.... 102 85 | Wind gentle, NE. Sky clear. Tide strong, running to windward. Two skates 
toadory. Shifted position. R 
16 | 2.30 p.m....) 4.45 p.m.... 112 30 | Wind gentle, NE. Hazy. ‘Tide moderate, running to the east. One skate toa 
dory. Fish large. 
16 | 6p.m....... 8.30 p.m.... 1 30 | Wind moderate,NE. Clear. Tide running to windward. Two skates toa dory. 
17 | 6p.m....... 8.10 p.m...- 112 380 Wind moderate, NE. Cloudy. Tide slack. Three skates toadory. Shifted po- 
sition. 
18 | 7.10a.m....| Noon....... 200 80 | Windlight, ENE., becoming calm. Cloudy. Tidestrong. Three skates toadory. 
Fish excellent. Holsteinborg. 
20 | 4.35a.m....| 7.45 p.m.... 68 25 wise gentle, NE. by E. Clear. Tide running strong,SSW. Three skates to a 
ory. 
21 | 5.30 a.m ....| 10a.m...... 4 25 | Wind moderate, NE. Clear, followed by fog. Tide strong to windward. Three 
skates to a dory. 
21 | 4.80 p.m....) 7.30 p.m.... 81 25 | Wind moderate,NE. Foggy. Tide slackening. Shifted position. 
24 | 1la.m...... 2.40 p.m.... 123 30 bey moderating, NE. Clouds broken. Tiderunning to windward. Shifted po- 
sition. 
27 | 7.15am.... () Ue Earner Set under sail on the inner ground, near the mouth of Holsteinborg Harbor. 
Potaliey.|-zccccecarsoed 8, 616 
Average time between setting and hauling in July, 3 hours. 
Average time between setting and hauling in August, 2 hours, 53 minutes. 
Average depth of water in July, 45.5 fathoms. 
Average depth of water in August, 33 fathoms, 
Wateber of fish catight tn Daly cn asc iacssensiawscckeas eansns emer wreniobcaanin cacomney: gieiealee Sciaewe sels dabwalg seuss sich eraseeecieesscerecces 8, 764-+- 
Number of fick case ht) in Ati gist acct cc oceans concen agugeswapepeanneeeeey oceans pbeweeaaded pemnsenseceenaad suaamn ede aonndenas exmawe 4, 852 
TOtAl sncseeeneswacncews iredenkkaa Veneew eeaw ey ane Can eN WHR SURE w IN EWE ROR EN Rkaeles RKENINN ae RWW RRUN CR WaN eRe RaG see EXE KN NSREW ane 8, 616+ 
8. THE HALIBUT IN ITS RELATION TO THE FISHING. 
In the preceding tables, under the head of ‘“‘Remarks,” quite frequently occurs the phrase 
“Shifted position,” which signifies, in this connection, a little more than merely changing the 
position of the vessel; it implies that the fish, for some reason, are no longer to be caught where 
they may have been, up to that time, quite abundant. Are the fish of a roving disposition, or do 
the individuals remain within restricted limits? I shall not attémpt to decide, but will merely 
mention some facts which may have a bearing on the question. 
The fishermen seldom expect to catch many fish near the vessel after the first flitching. If 
you ask for an explanation of this, they will tell you that the “gurry” drives the halibut away. 
By “gurry,” they mean the refuse of the fish which is thrown overboard at the time of flitching. 
There is only a single case, that I know of, which would seem opposed to this explanation. It is 
that of a large halibut which had eaten the head, backbone, and viscera of a fish that had been 
flitched. It cannot be that the flesh of their own species is distasteful to the halibut, for this is 
what the fishermen use for bait, nor can it be that they mistake the white gleam of the flesh for 
sharks, for the sharks caught here were of a very dark color. Whether we know the cause or not, 
it is none the less true that the fish cease to bite near the vessel after the first flitching, whereas, 
if this operation be delayed, or if the tide at that time be strong enough to carry the gurry away 
a considerable distance, the fish continue to bite freely. Considering, then, that the gurry has 
this effect, what is the result of remaining in one spot several days? Evidently the mass of 
gurry will increase, and, being drifted by the tides, will cause the vessel to be the center of an 
ever-increasing spot where the halibut will not bite. It is thus necessary either to set the trawls 
at a greater distance from the vessel or else to move her to a new spot. The latter method, of 
course, is the easier. 
On the 23d, 24th, and 25th of July over 1,500 fish were taken from a limited area, at some 
distance from the vessel, where the gurry did not reach, because the tide ran in the opposite direc- 
