THE BANK TRAWL-LINE COD FISHERY. 167 
hood of the Virgin Rocks, latitude 46° 27’, longitude 51° 6’. After this, as the year progresses, the 
vessels begin a movement back again towards the south and east, until at last those who have 
remained till November are again fishing on the very outer edge of the Bank. 
This movement of the vessels and the facts regarding the fish were furnished me by the skipper. 
I believe they are correct. It is perfectly plain that, if they are true, thére is a definite migration 
among the-cod of the Grand Bank. Early in the year, during the first of March or a little later, 
a large school of fish moves in from the deep ocean waters and comes over the southern edge of 
the Banks. This large school is followed by others which drive the first comers further to the 
north and west until the season reaches its height. These fish move over the Banks, feeding on 
the places that are rich in the proper forms of life to suit the conditions of their existence. Later 
in the year a movement toward the deep water is initiated and continues until finally the large 
schools disappear. ; 
To prove that the fish do migrate in this or im any other manner would require more observa- 
tions than I could make. The men believe that they migrate in this manner, and on it base their 
own movements. 
SCHOOL AND GURRY FISH.—The fishermen make a division among the fish, separating them 
into two groups called “‘school fish” and “gurry fish.” The schoob fish are supposed to move over 
the bottom in large schools seeking fresh feeding grounds as fast as food became scarce in any of 
the regions where they have been fishing. The fish we captured during the first and second bait- 
ings were of this sort. They presented a plump appearance, looking very vigorous and healthy. 
They were, moreover, in large numbers in any one spot, and could not all be “fished out” in a 
. single haul. The term gurry fish, on the other hand, seemed to be applied to the few stragglers 
who remained on the Bank after the larger schools had migrated. These had a thin and hungry 
look; their flesh was almost flabby. Nor did they kick about in such a lively manner when 
brought on board. It is supposed also that these fish will bite readily on gurry, or bait made from 
the ‘‘pea” and other intestines of the fish, and from this fact they have derived their name, while 
it is averred that the school fish will not take any bait save the very best. These gurry fish are 
thought by the men to be a body of stragglers which never leaves the Banks, but, instead of par- 
taking in the usual migration, remain in small and scattered numbers, picking up a scanty living 
on whatever they can obtain. 
As I have mentioned, in the paragraphs referring to bait, it is at present the habit to use only 
fresh bait until late in the year, when salt bait or gurry is used with some success. I saw this illus- 
trated during our trip. In places where the fish had been biting well they fell off suddenly on the 
introduction of salt bait and gurry. During the second baiting, fishing had been excellent. We 
had been taking daily an average of 12 tubs when our bait became greatly deteriorated. The skip- 
per then thought to try salt bait and gurry, and on the 30th day of August took only two tubs of fish. 
The same thing happened during the third baiting. These facts show that during the early season 
the fish are rather fastidious. I was told that later in the year, during October, they caught a few 
fish with gurry, and the skipper had with him 10,000 salted squid to be used at that time if he 
should remain so late. 
SPAWNING.—The fish did not appear to be spawning during auy of the time of my visit to 
the Grand Bank. The ovaries were usually quite small, having a length of not more than 5 or 
6 inches, as a rule, and, indeed, to find them so large as that was rare. The eggs were very imma- 
ture indeed. In one case did an ovary appegr that was large and more natural than any of the 
others, but in this one case only were the fish anywhere near the time of spawning. That spawn- 
ing at that time is infrequent I remember the better from the remarks of the men. When I inquired 
