24 



Part III. — Tiventy-Jlrst Annual Report 



The area over which these ten hauls were taken was considerable, 

 as explained in the description of the movements of the vessel, above 

 ^iven, and the range in depth varied from fifty-eight to seventy-eight 

 fathoms, a difi'erence of twenty fathoms or 120 feet. I have therefore 

 contrasted the catches of the two hauls in shallower water — fifty-eight 

 to sixty fathoms — with five drags in from seventy-one to seventy-eight 

 fathoms. The number of fishes obtained in the former was 2258, or 

 an average of 1129 per haul; in the latter the number was 8722, 

 or an average of 1744 per haul; in the former the average of loarket- 

 able fishes was 965 and in the latter 1402. 



The numbers and averages for the flat-fishes in' the two groups are indi- 

 cated in the following Table, (1) representing the hauls in the shallower 

 water, and (2) those in the deeper water : — 





Plaice. 



Lemon 

 Sole. 



Witch. 



Common 

 Dab. 



Long 

 Eough 

 Dab. 



Megrim, 



Halibut. 



(1) No. 

 Av. 



5 

 2-5 



5 

 2-5 



49 

 24-5 



161 

 80-5 



78 

 39-0 



9 



4-5 



2 



1-0 



(2) No. 

 Av. 





2 

 0-4 



462 

 92-4 



58 

 17-6 



1,403 

 280-6 



222 

 44-4 



6 



1-2 



The difference in the two cases is considerable, but the nature of 

 the bottom must also be taken into account. In the shallower water 

 hauls it consisted of sand and shells, and in the deeper water, when 

 noted, it was muddy. The deepest water in which plaice were procured 

 during the voyage was sixty-three fathoms (haul No. 11), where one was 

 obtained ; the aggregate number during the trip was six. Lemon soles 

 were procured in deeper water, one being got in seventy-four fathoms 

 where the bottom was muddy, and another in seventy-three fathoms. 

 Common dabs, much more numerous in the shallower water hauls, were 

 also got in those in the deeper water, on a muddy bottom, but in much 

 fewer numbers, and decreasing with the depth ; thirteen were taken in 

 a haul in seventy-six fathoms, and three in a haul in seventy-eight 

 fathoms. 



The particulars concerning the proportions of the round-fishes in 

 the two groups of hauls are shown thus : — 





Cod. 



Codling. 



Had- 

 dock. 



Whiting. 



Gur- 

 nard. 



Saithe 



Hake. 



Ling. 



Tusk. 



Cat- 

 fish. 



(1) No. 

 Av. 



8 

 4-0 



237 

 118-5 



1,154 

 577-0 



401 

 200-5 



84 

 42-0 



3 

 1-5 



1 



0-5 



4 



2-0 



2 



1-0 



19 

 9-5 



(2) No. 

 Av. 



26 

 5-2 



471 

 94-2 



3,429 

 685-8 



2,263 

 452-6 



190 

 38-0 



10 

 2-0 



23 

 4-6 



7 



1-4 



7 



1-4 



23 

 4-6 



All, it will be noticed, were relatively more numerous in the deeper water 

 hauls, except codlings, gurnards, ling, and cat-fish ; whitings were more 

 than twice as abundant, and hake still better represented. Gurnards 



