264 



Part III. — Eighteenth Annual Report 



4. In 10 J fathoms. Net said not to have touched the bottom. No 

 deposited spawn or any bottom-living organisms obtained. Net quite 

 clean. 14 baskets of herring captured. 



5. In 9 \ fathoms. Net caught on bottom and considerably damaged. 

 Two pieces of rock fragments 7 J and 5 inches long, 2 A. rubens, 2 

 Solaster papposus were obtained in body of net and near sole-rope. 



6. 8.30 p.m. In 9| fathoms. Net had touched the bottom, sole-rope 

 damaged. Net quite clean. A few baskets of herring captured. 



7. 9.30 p.m. In 10 fathoms. Net became fast on bottom and was 

 slightly damaged. No deposited spawn found. Net quite clean. Only 

 a few herring captured 



8. In 9^ fathoms. Net caught on the bottom and slightly damaged. 

 Only a few herring captured, otherwise net quite clean. 



9. In 10 fathoms. Net had touched the bottom. Nothing found on 

 net or sole-rope. Fully 50 baskets of herrings captured, all ready for 

 spawning. 



10. In 9 1 fathoms. Net said not to have touched the bottom. Net 

 found to be quite clean. Fully 100 baskets of herring captured, 

 the males giving off milt freely, females about ready for depositing 

 spawn. 



11. 10.50 p.m. In 9 J fathoms. Net had touched the bottom but 

 found to be quite clean. 150 to 200 baskets of herring captured. 



12. In 10 fathoms. Net caught on the bottom and got torn from 

 sole-rope. Two rock fragments 8 j and 10 inches, 2 Ophioilirix fragilis in 

 foot of net, but no deposited spawn observed. 20 baskets of herring 

 captured, males giving off milt freely and females ready for spawning. 



13. In 10 J fathoms. Net caught on the bottom and badly damaged. 

 One rock fragment, 1 Asterias rubens, 1 A. gracilis, and 2 Ophiochrix 

 fragilis. No deposited spawn found ; otherwise net quite clean. No 

 fish captured. 



14. In 10| fathoms. Net caught on the bottom and somewhat 

 damaged, but found to be quite clean. No deposited spawn or bottom- 

 living animals found. 10 baskets of herring captured. 



All the trawl boats visited had their nets so prepared that they 

 should drag the bottom, the sole-rope being heavily weighted with 

 lead. 



March 2nd — Came up with the herring fleet on Ballantrae Bank at 

 4.50 p.m.; 40 in number. Shortly after 5 p.m. a number commenced to 

 shoot nets S.W. a,nd N.E. off Ballantrae village, about 1| to 2| miles 

 distant. 



15. In 12| fathoms. Net did not touch the bottom and was quite 

 clean. No deposited spawn found. Two baskets of ripe herring captured. 



16. In 9 \ fathoms. Net caught on the bottom; examined net 

 carefully and found it to be quite clean, no bottom-living animals 

 of any kind or deposited spawn. Some 20 baskets of ripe herring 

 captured. 



17. In 10| fathoms. Net had dragged the bottom slightly, but was 

 found to be quite clean. No deposited spawn or any bottom-living 

 organisms found. About half-dozen baskets of ripe herring captured. 



18. In 10 J fathoms. Net did not touch the bottom ; found to be 

 quite clean. 30 baskets of ripe herring, 2 saithe, and 1 haddock 

 captured. 



19. In 9Jr fathoms. Net had dragged the bottom slightly, but came 

 up quite clean. 14 baskets of spawning herring were captured. 



20. In 10| fathoms. Net dragged the bottom slightly, but found to 

 to quite clean. No deposited spawn observed or any bottom-living 

 animals. A few baskets of ripe herring and one cod captured. 



