SEA FISHEEIES LABOBATOKY. 158 



the net is attached, the three being worked simultaneously 

 so that the experiments might have a fair trial. As stated 

 in the introduction these experiments have, so far, sup- 

 ported Mr. Dawson's idea as to the fish caught in this 

 net being fewer in number than those caught either by the 

 ordinary shank net or the shrimp trawl, but it would 

 perhaps be better that the experiments should be carried 

 on for a further period before any definite opinion is 

 expressed on this matter. 



Although the results have already been given in part 

 in one of Mr. Dawson's Quarterly Eeports (January, 1894) 

 to the Committee, we consider that their importance 

 renders it desirable that they should have if possible a 

 more extended circulation and so we state them here more 

 fully taking the more striking examples for the various 

 months. 



(1) In December, 1893, an experiment was made on 

 the Blackpool closed ground with a Bar Shank net, an 

 ordinary shank net, and a shrimp trawl, the three being 

 worked simultaneously, with the following result : — 



The Bar Shank net caught 3708 fish and 11 quarts of 



Shrimps. 

 The Ordinary Shank net caught 5221 fish and 10|- 



quarts of shrimps. 

 The Ordinary Shrimp trawl caught 20889 fish and 22J 



quarts of shrimps. 



(2) In January, 1894 another experiment was made on 

 the same ground and under the same conditions with the 

 following results : — 



Bar Shank net, 2011 fish and 14J qts. shrimps. 

 Ordinary Shank net, 2027 fish and 8} qts. shrimps. 

 Ordinary Shrimp trawl, 8512 fish and 6 qts. shrimps. 



(3) An experiment in the Kibble carried out under the 

 same conditions in January gave the following : — 



