8 
shown, may to a certain extent in the latter part of the summer 
penetrate within a mile of the shore, into, that is to say, the region 
of the small and immature plaice. 
The dabs, as was pointed out in the last report, leave the district 
almost completely during the winter, vide table Y and chart I of 
the preceding report. The figures now submitted show still more 
convincingly the results of the summer inshore migration of this 
species. During the previous winter we sometimes did not get a 
single example, and in other cases only one or two were caught even 
as late as May 20tli. If these results be compared with those for 
the summer of 1909 for the corresponding bays, it will be at once 
clear that the dab is essentially a summer visitor to the inshore 
waters. In this case there is no distinct segregation according to 
size. The whole population, mature and immature, except the very 
small ones migrate together outwards and inwards. Some of them 
at the same time exhibit a tendency to migrate southwards. 
During the winter the inshore fishermen and the trawlers catch the 
dabs within and without the district. 
The flounder in the mature condition migrates, as has already 
been shown, to the north, and in the winter even the immature 
stages are poorly represented at our trawling stations. 
The gurnard in similar manner is rarely caught in the winter, 
but in the summer, as is apparent from the figures given in this 
report it is often got in immense numbers inshore, — small, 
immature and mature. I think it will be found that the gurnard 
also migrates to the north and to the east. It is obtained by the 
trawlers outside our district during the inward and outward 
migration. 
I cannot speak with the same confidence with regard to the rare 
sole and turbot. A few are caught in the summer. Not one was 
obtained in January and February. Our marking experiments have 
shown that the turbot with approaching maturity migrates beyond 
the district and often to a great distance. I have no information 
to report as to the few soles which have been marked. 
In short, it may be said that most species are affected by the 
annual change in climate, and the tables now given may therefore 
be said to complete the general evidence of the annual flow and ebb 
of the fish population of the Committee’s district. 
It will be interesting to add here the results of short hauls with 
a small net on the ground locally known as the “ Frolics,” to the 
north of the mouth of the Tyne, and off Sharpness Point. The 
