of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 59 



slightly over one-third. They were obtained in largest numbers in the 

 month of July, upwards of 500 being sometimes taken at one haul. In 

 three hauls made in September, only eight gurnards were captured, while 

 they were entirely absent from the November takes. 



Whiting come next in numerical importance, forming somewhat less 

 than a quarter of the number of fish obtained. The average catch was 

 68, as compared with 7 in the Firth of Forth and about If in St Andrews 

 Bay. They were most abundant in the month of September ; in 

 July as a rule the takes were small, only two moderate ones being re- 

 corded, and in November, with but^ two meagre exceptions, they contained 

 no whiting. It is worthy of remark, that while in the Firth of Forth the 

 largest catches of whiting were made in June or July, September is the 

 month in which they were obtained in greatest abundance in Aberdeen Bay. 

 Haddock are well represented, although they are not so plentiful as whiting, 

 the proportion to the whole catch being about one-seventh. Here again it 

 is to be noticed that the largest takes occurred in September, all the July 

 catches proving very meagre. In November one good catch is recorded, 

 while the others contained few or no haddocks. Cod were not 

 numerous ; but though fewer than in the Forth, they were more abundant 

 than in St Andrews Bay. 



Flat fish occur also very plentifully, among these, brill, plaice, and dabs 

 are to be noted as the prevalent forms. Lemon dabs and skate show a de- 

 ficiency, and flounders have only one representative in the hauls. The 

 best catches of flat fish were made in July and September. 



By comparing now the prominent features of the three districts investi- 

 gated, it is to be observed that the Firth of Forth is characterised by an 

 abundance of haddock, St Andrews Bay by the predominance of flat fish, 

 and Aberdeen Bay by the great number of gurnards and whitings. Further, 

 while the Firth of Forth and Aberdeen Bay contain a fair average number 

 of the different kinds of fish, there is a deficiency of haddock, whiting, 

 and cod in St Andrews Bay. Flat fish are well represented in all the 

 three regions, but among these flounders abound most in St Andrews 

 Bay. The lemon dab is largely present in the Firth of Forth, but in St 

 Andrews and Aberdeen Bays it is poorly represented in the takes. 

 Once more it is to be remarked, that, while in the Firth of Forth and St 

 Andrews Bay haddock and whiting are caught in greatest numbers during 

 June and July, in Aberdeen Bay they were taken most abundantly in the 

 month of September. 



It will bo further noticed in this table that the takes in May 1887 in 

 St Andrews Bay are at two of the stations larger than they were during 

 the previous summer, e.g., the total take of Station II. on May 3rd was 

 463, 36 more than the total take for June, July, September and 

 November; and the total take at Station V. on May 5th, 1887 is 546 

 against 296 for June 30th, 1886. But at Stations III. and IV. the take 

 for April was very considerably below the average for the other months 

 recorded. 



As to Table C. (which indicates as accurately as possible not only the 

 quantities of the various kinds of fish captured, but also where and under 

 what conditions they were captured), it is, for want of previous statistics, 

 impossible to do more than call attention to the difference in the takes at 

 the various fishing stations during the several months of the year. 

 Special attention should, however, be paid to Table D. (page 130), which 

 shows the takes of haddock, cod and whiting by the Buckhaven fishermen 

 from April 1884 to April 1887. This table, in addition to showing that 

 cod are most abundant in the Forth in winter, while haddock and whiting 

 are most numerous in summer, indicates that either because trawling was 



