38 



Cockles. Mussels. Flukes. 

 September, „ ... 26 J ... 24f ... — 



October, „ ... 41f ... 8£ ... } 



620£ ... 90i ... 3J 



"It has been a very bad year for cocklers — the worst of 

 any since 1886. Mussels vary in quantity year by year even 

 more than cockles. In 1900 there were 260^ tons ; in 1901,. 

 only 93 tons ; in 1902, 392 tons ; in 1903, 171 tons ; and in 

 1904, 90 tons. 



" Flukes have also been very scarce. In 1900 there were 

 34f tons; in 1901, 14± tons ; in 1902, 7f tons; in 1903, 6f 

 tons ; and in 1904, 3-J- tons. 



" No weight of samphire was sent away in 1904, whereas- 

 in 1901, 3 tons ; in 1902, 4J tons; and in 1903, 1^ tons were- 

 sent. 



11 Winkles are never abundant. In 1902, 7 cwt. ; in 1903,. 

 49 cwt. ; and in 1904, 13 cwt. were sent away. 



"The average weight of cockles, including mussels, sent 

 away in 10 years, from 1882 to 1891, was 1,924 tons per 

 annum; and in the 12 years, 1892 to 1903 inclusive, ouly 

 1,287 tons per annum. 



"This does not point to any good whatever having been 

 done by the Lancashire Sea Fisheries Committee as respects 

 the Carke sands — quite the opposite, unless we hazard the 

 conjecture that if it had not been for them it would have been 

 very much worse, which we doubt. Can it be that there are 

 more seagulls and other birds which feed on cockles than 

 there used to be, encouraged by the riddling that goes on upon 

 the surface of the sands ?" 



And further, in October, 1903, we have the following : — 

 11 There have always been series of years of extremely good 



