21 
BLYTH BAY. 
YEAR. 
DATE. 
J 
E 
p 
Brill. 
1 
3 
r. 
1 ^ 
Dab. 
Flounder. 
Total Flat 
Fi.rhes. 
1897 
Aug. 25 
... 
... 
... 
49 
39 
18 
106 
1K98 
July 13 
i 
... 
... 
41 
16 
... 
58 
1H99 
moo 
Julv 4 
59 
23 
1 
H3 
Sept 5 
i 
... 
i 
53 
41 
5 
100 
Average 
05 
... 
05 
555 
32 
3 
91-5 
1901 
.1 uly 3 
... 
1 
2 
12 
17 
4 
36 
1902 
Sept. 11 
... 
5 
115 
65 
... 
185 
even with reference to the few years thus shown, that the increase 
in dabs at the Southern stations is a modern feature, that, in 
fact, the proportion of dabs is becoming greater. 
If our object were only to determine the condition of the bays as 
regards the relative numbers of the fishes present in each case, such 
an experiment would be all that would be necessary for the purpose. 
There are some cases, however, in which the first haul, while 
showing the general conditions so far as the dominant fishes are 
concerned, do not at all indicate the presence of fishes which occur 
in small numbers. 
But, if the experiments are to be made to form the basis of a 
comparison to indicate whether the waters are gaining or otherwise 
in fish-population, it is evident they must be made on a larger scale 
than that which we have been describing as “ the first haul,” for 
this does not always agree in its results with our complete 
experiment. 
In the Chart for Skate Roads, for example, the first hauls for 
1898 and 1899 show a decrease for the latter year. The complete 
results are as nearly as possible equal. Again, in 1901, a consider- 
able increase is shown by the first haul ; a decrease by the 
complete experiment. 
Similar discrepancies can be seen by looking over the Charts for 
Alnmouth Bay, Druridge Bay, and Cambois Bay. 
The general average results agree in pointing to the richness 
of the in-shore waters during the past summer, but even here the 
story as told by the two methods is not in absolute agreement. 
