THE TRAWLING EXCURSIONS. 
GENERAL RESULTS. 
The kindness of Aid. John Dent, Vice-Chairman of the Northum- 
berland Sea Fisheries Committee, in granting us the use of the 
“ Livingstone,” and during the latter part of the season of his new 
paddle steamer, the “ Stanley,” has enabled us once more to 
present the results of a series of trawling excursions. These were 
made, of course, on the same lines as those of previous years. The 
weather on the whole this summer was not so favourable, and 
indeed the season was bad enough to prevent trawling at Goswick 
Sands and also in Skate Roads. The attempt was made at the 
latter place on three occasions, and the results will be referred to, 
but the great mass of weed brought up in the trawl net each time 
made it impossible to continue the experiment. 
The results of the completed experiments are presented in 
Table I. But before attempting to state what they indicate, I shall 
give a few general notes on the observations made at each excursion. 
Dkuridge Bay, June 20th. — The first experiment was made here 
on a very good day. Four hauls were made in a little over seven 
hours. The fish caught in the first haul are as usual given in 
detail (see page 10). The 2nd haul was very similar to the first, but 
there were less small and more large fish, including turbot, brill 
and sole. One Cuttus quadricomis and several dead heart-urchins 
were also included in this catch. The 3rd haul gave very similar 
results, with a little fucus and dead heart-urchins. The 4th haul 
furnished in addition to the fishes, a berried-hen crab which was 
at once returned to the water, and small jelly-fishes (Cyanea and 
Aurelia). A small plaice was got which was almost entirely covered 
with pigment on the blind side, but the pigment did not present the 
characteristic red or yellow spots of the upper side. Another plaice 
was observed with a large patch of pigment on the lower side, but 
this time the red spots were present in similar positions to those on 
the exposed side. A fifth haul was attempted, but the net was 
launched by mistake inverted : there were no fish. 
The fish on the whole were on the small side. No mature 
plaice had evidently yet come in-shore, as we have especially noted 
later in the season in former years. 
