of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



29 



in numbers varying from twenty-three to 167. The solitary cat-fish 

 was obtained in seventy-six fathoms. Codhngs were got in six of the 

 hauls in numbers varying from one to 142, saithe in each haul, the 

 highest number in a single drag being nine ; ling were taken in six 

 hauls, in numbers varying from one to five ; tusk in four hauls, the 

 highest number in any haul being three. Gurnards were represented 

 in six of the hauls, the depths where they were taken running from 

 seventy -six to eighty-one fathoms, and the largest number in a haul 

 being fourteen. 



Two grey skates were obtained in eighty-one fathoms, and one starry 

 ray in seventy-six fathoms. Thirty-five anglers were taken, the average 

 per haul being five ; the largest number in a haul was eight. Ten 

 specimens of the Norway haddock (Sebastes) were secured in three hauls 

 in seventy-six and eighty-one fathoms ; four specimens of the bib in 

 seventy-six, seventy-nine, and eighty fathoms ; two Norway pouts in 

 seventy-six fathoms, a Lumpenus at the same depth, and three argen- 

 tines in eighty fathoms. 



Other five hauls were made in the same neighbourhood, but in some- 

 what shallower water, viz from sixty-four to seventy-one fathoms. The 

 bottom was muddy, and the duration of the hauls the same as before — 

 namely, four hours. Complete records were made of the catches of four 

 of the drags. The aggregate number of fish taken was 2635, the average 

 per haul being 658*7, and per hour's fishing 164-7. The marketable 

 fishes numbered 2237, and the unmarketable 398. The particulars 

 regarding the numbers and averages of the various species taken are as 

 follows : — 



Flat Fish. 







Plaice. 



Lemon 

 Sole. 



Witch. 



Common 

 Dab. 



Long 

 Rough 

 Dab. 



Megrim. 



No. . 







462 





193 



40 



Av. per haul, 







115-6 





48-4 



10-0 



Av. per hour, 







28-9 





12-1 



2-5 



Round Fish. 





Cod. 



Codling. 



Had- 

 dock. 



Whit- 

 ing. 



Gur- 

 nard. 



Saithe 



Hake. 



Ling. 



Cat- 

 fish. 



No. . 



50 



83 



1,567 



124 



22 



65 



2 



4 



2 



Av. per haul, 



12-4 



20-8 



392-0 



31-2 



5-6 



16-4 



0-4 



0-8 



0-4 



Av. per hour, 



3-1 



5-2 



98-0 



7-8 



1-4 



4-1 



0-1 



0-2 



0-1 



Among the flat-fishes the principal change is a reduction in the 

 averages for those species represented — witches, megrims, and long 

 rough dabs. The average for cod is a little higher, those for codlings 

 and whiting reduced ; ling and haddocks are also less, and saithe 

 increased, while hake is now for the first time represented by two 



