of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



53 



* cuttle fish/ Aphrodite (the sea mouse), starfish, sea urchins, and anemones. 

 The 'cuttle fish' are especially sought after by (and they are excellent 

 bait for) the cod. In the mid and surface waters medusae, Tomopteris, 

 Sagitta, and copepods flourish, and at certain seasons larvae of crabs and 

 Crustacea are abundant. 



The fish taken by the 'Garland,' when trawling over this station 

 (Table B, page 80), were chiefly haddocks, plaice, lemon dabs, long rough 

 dabs, cod, common dabs, whiting, gurnards, skate and turbot. 



Station IV. extends round the South Bay, following the outline of the 

 coast for 8 miles. The depth varies from 5 to 7 fathoms. The bottom 

 is chiefly composed of sand, intermixed with an immense number of shells 

 and small stones. At some parts sea weeds are plentiful. 



The fish in this station agree very closely with those in Station III. 

 (Table B, page 80), and the same holds true for both the bottom and 

 surface fauna. The fishermen from the adjacent villages often set long 

 lines in Stations III. and IV., and in addition to yielding fish, these 

 stations produce large supplies of bait. 



Station V. is situated in the eastern section of the Firth, about half- 

 way between the north and south shores. It runs west from the May 

 Island for 6 miles. The bottom is composed of mud, and the depth 

 is on an average 20 fathoms. The bottom fauna includes worms 

 (Polychaetae), Nephrops, and other Crustacea, starfish, whelks, cuttle fish, 

 and other molluscs. Feeding on these are fish of various kinds but chiefly 

 dabs, plaice and flounders, with at certain seasons haddocks, cod, whiting, 

 skate and gurnards. In the waters over this fishing ground there are 

 often medusae, copepods, ascidians, and young fish. 



Station VI. is the smallest of all the stations. It is represented by an 

 oval patch of sand and gravel a mile and a half long, situated between St 

 Monance and Pittenweem. It, in fact, consists of a stretch of sand, gravel 

 and broken shells which extends into a considerable area of rocky ground. 

 The depth varies from 13 to 14 fathoms. 



This small patch of sand has long been known as the ' Fluke Hole.' 

 It has yielded, year after year, enormous quantities of fish to the Pitten- 

 weem and other fishermen, and in some respects it resembles the famous 

 1 Silver Pit ' which lies off the English coast. The sand probably forms a 

 convenient resting place to the ' flukes ' and other flat fish, while the sur- 

 rounding rocks yield a sufficient supply of food throughout the greater part 

 of the year, and a rich banquet, when during the winter and autumn they 

 are visited by immense shoals of spawning herring. During all seasons, 

 starfish, sea urchins, and other echinoderms, abound ; also Crustacea and 

 molluscs and ' cuttlefish ' are often plentiful. The waters over the station 

 teem often with Crustacea — adult and larval forms, — Sagittae, young 

 echinoderms, fish, and molluscs, and also pteropods and medusae. 



From this fishing bank the ' Garland ' obtained chiefly plaice, common, 

 lemon, and long rough dabs, haddocks and gurnards, but young cod, 

 whiting, turbot and other fish were also captured. At certain seasons the 

 Fluke Hole is visited by large shoals of haddock which apparently come 

 to feed on the herring spawn. 



Station VII. extends from the Bass Rock to Fiddra, at a distance 

 of about a mile and a quarter from the land. The bottom consists of sand, 

 mud and stones, and lies at a depth of from 11 to 14 fathoms. 



Living on this station are again numerous echinoderms including many 

 Luidia and other starfish, also Crustacea and molluscs. In the waters over 

 it, copepods, medusae and Sagittae have been specially observed. As would 

 be expected from the nature of the fauna the fish here are chiefly 

 haddocks (at certain seasons), dabs and plaice, but whiting, skate, 



