of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
179 
* are found only sparsely scattered over these grounds, on which they were 
' formerly very abundant ; and clams in considerable quantities have now 
' settled down in their stead everywhere. While this is the case, it is 
* right to state that several intelligent fishermen are rather inclined to 
' attribute the disappearance of oysters from their former habitat to the 
' recently increased pollution of the streams flowing into the Firth. 
' The principal bank of the lower estuary, extending from Hound Point 
* to a little beyond Inchkeith, an extreme distance of fully eight miles, is 
' termed the Middle Bank. Its breadth is about one mile, and its centre 
* lies about two miles ofi^ Newhaven Pier. The main channel of the Firth 
' lies to the northward of the Middle Bank, with a depth of from ten to 
' twenty fathoms ; while a narrow south channel, from ten to five fathoms 
' deep, stretches westwards between the south end of Inchkeith and the 
' shore, and along the Middle Bank to Cramond Island, where it termi- 
* nates. In the winter seasons, herrings are chiefly caught in this locality 
' from Inchgarvie eastwards along the north channel, and on its northern 
' slope towards Burntisland and Kinghorn-ness ; and from Cramond Island 
' eastwards to Cockenzie. Herrings continue to resort to the gravelly or 
' rocky bottom around Inchkeith, the Host, North Craig, and Craig Waugh, 
' and deposit their spawn on all these grounds. About three miles east- 
' wards from Inchkeith the central or main channel again renews its 
* continuation, with depths varying from twenty to upwards of thirty 
' fathoms, which there extends onwards to the May, and beyond it. The 
' sea bottom of this section again becomes more regular in its configura- 
* tion. The acclivities on both sides slope gently upwards towards the 
' shores. Generally these acclivities are smooth, with patches of gravel, 
' sand, or shells ; and occasionally they are somewhat rocky ; while the 
' deeper central channel is usually more or less muddy throughout its 
' course. Extending from the North Craig, which lies two miles south- 
' east from Inchkeith, a reef of rough stony ground stretches eastwards 
* for three miles. North-westward from Ibris, or Eyebris Point, five miles 
' distant, are the ' Kingstone Hards,' an irregular patch of hard or rocky 
' bottom, having an area of two or three miles. 
'JjLast wards from Gullane-ness on the south side, and from Chapel-ness 
' on the north side, the coast becomes more rocky or gravelly, and the 
' littoral of both sides has been long known as favourite spawning-grounds 
' of the herring. In recent years, however, herrings have become less 
' abundant on these grounds. On the southern side, the ' Craigleith ' 
' banks or grounds have been deserted by the herring ; and on the 
' northern side similar instances of desertion have occurred. In the 
' ' Traith,' ofl* St Monans and Anstruther, between Crail and the May, 
' and on the hard ground around the May ; and also on the ' Cove ' bank, 
'six miles eastwards from Dunbar, herrings continue to reappear from 
' time to time for spawning purposes. The sloping banks of the lower 
* estuary are fertile fishing-grounds for all kinds of fish, includiiig haddocks 
' and whitings. With the exception of skate, few fish are found to resort 
' to the deeper central waters of the channel. On the stretches of sandy 
' ])ott()m at Largo, at Aberlady, and elsewhere, flounders and plaice are 
' usually found to be plentiful. Around, and in the neighbourhood of 
' the Island of May, the grounds and banks have been long famed for 
' llieir productiveness, and all kinds of sea fish are found there in abund- 
* ance. Beyond the May, and extending for fifty or a hundred miles 
* eastwards, rich fishing-grounds are found, while the bottom is singularly 
* clear of any serious obstructions to impede fishing operations. The 
' famous herring fishing-ground, the ' White Spat ' (with an extent of about 
' five miles N. and S. by four E. and W.), from which thousands of crans of 
