24 
The experiments have always been made along lines paralle 
the shore and the net is therefore drawn across the fish which 
migrating outwards or inwards according to the state of the t. 
These tidal migrations are indicated in the tables accompany 
this and the preceding reports. 
The previous experiments and those made in the autumn of 1; 
year made it plain therefore that the conditions of the statio 
could be shown by a shorter period of trawling, alway rememberi 
the influence of the tide. It has thus been possible on a single d 
during the winter months to add observations with regard to tlir , 
of the southern stations, Alnmouth Bay, Druridge Bay and Blyi 1 / 
Bay. . r 
This has brought the experiments into the present year, and tli jj__ 
results are presented to May 20th. As before, the general condition 
are set forth in Table I., and a complete statement as to the catclie I 
in Table II. The figures have been brought together in Table III 
in terms of catch per one hour’s trawling. 
The results obtained during the winter 1908-9, when conjoinec 
with those before obtained for the summer may be used tc i 
picture the conditions of the stations with regard to fish during tin 
year. In the following table (Table IV.), the figures for June, July 
August and September are the mean results for each of these 
months for the years 1899 to 1908. For the other months the 
figures are those above mentioned. The table — see also chart I. — 
shows very clearly that the inshore waters are liable to a summer 
increase and a winter decrease, or in other words that there is a 
conspicuous seasonable inshore and offshore migration of the 
species. With regard to plaice there is evidence to show moreover 
that there is a spring maximum about May- June, and an autumn 
— the greater — from August to September or October. Dabs 
practically desert the regions in which the experiments have been i 
conducted during the winter ; they begin to increase markedly in ' 
numbers in June, reach a maximum in August, and sink again ' 
rapidly during September and October to the winter condition. The I 
few flounders caught exhibit pretty much the same features as the i 
plaice. Gurnards are so far as the stations are concerned summer 
fish also, and possibly also are subject to an autumn maximum. 
The anglers likewise reach a maximum about August. 
Plaice. — Table V. shows that the trawl net used at the experiment 
catches during the summer, plaice from 12 cm. to 40 cm. (4£ to 15| 
in.), and that it is only rarely that larger plaice are captured so near 
