16 



One curious result is noticeable on detailed examination. 

 At Aberystwyth (including Aberayron) we have shell-fish 

 landed during one month only in the years 1902, 1903, and 

 1904, except £6 worth of prawns in July, 1904, according to 

 the Central Authority's Eeturns, and this shell-fish consisted 

 of mussels landed in January, the weight being 1902, 96 

 cwts. ; 1903, 191 cwts. ; 1904, 40 cwts. The nearest mussel 

 beds to Aberystwyth are in the Dovey river. In 1900 and 

 1901 there were no shell-fish of any kind landed at 

 Aberystwyth (including Aberayron). Yet during 1901 the 

 Joint Committee obtained convictions in four cases of taking 

 uudersized crabs at Aberystwyth. It is to be presumed that 

 where fishing for crabs goes on a certain amount of full-sized 

 specimens are landed. Mr. Davies gives £20 for Aberystwyth 

 for 1904 for crabs and lobsters, as against nil for the Central 

 Authority. Mr. Davies further states that every year 200 to 

 250 bags of periwinkles are sent away from Aberayron and 

 Llanon. No note is made of this in the Central Authority's 

 return. It is to be noted that no collection of statistics is 

 attempted by the Central Authority at Llanon, Llanrhystyd, 

 Ynyslas, Towyn, Tonfanau, and Llwyngwril, yet, according to 

 Mr. Davies, the estimated value of fish landed at these places 

 for 1904 is £365, including Aberayron periwinkles, which are 

 also omitted in the Central Authority's returns. I have 

 myself, during 1904, seen cockles landed from the beds in the 

 Dovey at Aberdovey. There is no mention of these in the 

 Central Authority's returns. 



Another example is afforded by Pwllheli. Here, be it 

 noted, there is a remarkable diminution from £20,444 in 1898 

 to £7,169 in 1903. So marked is the diminution that it 

 becomes necessary to look into the figures a little more closely, 

 when some exceedingly interesting results are noticeable. 

 Unfortunately the monthly returns for the Western District 

 previous to the amalgamation are unobtainable, so we may 

 commence with the year 1900. 



