298 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
miles, ending in a point. It is somewhat irregular in form, being about 
60 miles wide in the broadest place. Different parts of the Dogger 
are known by specific names among the fishermen. The “ West Shoal,” 
which is a shallow ground on the southwest part of the bank, is about 
20 miles long ESE and WNW., with a depth of from 7 to 10 fathoms, 
and a flue sandy bottom. Then there is the “Outer Well Bank,” or the 
“Southwest Spit,” with from 15 to 18 fathoms, with a bottom of fine 
saud and occasional spots of coarse sand and small rocks. In this lo- 
cality haddock and plaice are frequently found in abundance during the 
fall. Between the Southwest spit and the West Shoal the shallow part 
of the bank curves inwardly like a cove, with irregular soundings, vary- 
ing from 20 to 40 fathoms. On what is known as the south part of 
the bank, east of the W T est Shoal, the bottom is chiefly fine sand, with a 
depth of from 14 to 20 fathoms. This is a good fishing ground, and is 
much visited. The “East End,” in latitude 55° 25' north, longitude 4° 
30' easr, is note d for a fine brown sandy bottom, free from what the fisher- 
men call “ scruff ” or “rubbish,” the depth varying from 22 to 24 fathoms. 
This is now considered one of the best fishing grounds on the Dogger. 
To the southwest, in latitude 54° 50' north, longitude 3° 20' east, is the 
“Olay Deep,” or “Southeast Swash of Dogger Bank,” of soft ooze, 25 
miles long, southwest and northeast, with rough ground on either side. 
The “ North Shoal” and “ Northwest Spit” are tracks of more or less 
rough bottom. 
The Great Silver Pits , the west end of which lies due east of Spurn 
Point some 60 miles distant, is a gully or depression of the sea bottom 
between the Dogger Bank on the NNE. and Wells Bank on the oppo- 
site side. Its length east and west is about CO miles, and its width 
varies from 10 to 14 miles. The depth ranges from 25 to about 50 fath- 
oms, with patches of bottom of different kinds, such as black mud, fine 
sand, white mud, blue clay, stones, and gravel. 
This celebrated fishing ground was discovered about 1843, and on it 
soles were found in extraordinary abundance. 1 It still is a favorite 
resort in winter for such of the trawlers as fish more particularly for 
soles. 
The Great Fisher Bank is thus described by Olsen : 
“This large space of ground, known by the name of the Great Fisher 
Bank, is situated in the northeast part of the German Ocean; it is of 
vast extent, and has recently been discovered as a trawling ground. 
The ground chiefly consists of sandy soundings of mud and ooze, with 
depths of water varying from 40 to 45 fathoms. 
1 Dr. Francis Day, in “ Notes on Trawling,” published in “Ashore or Afloat,” London, 
1883, states that : “ When the Silver Pits were first discovered it was not an uncommon 
thing for a trawler to get a ton and a half of soles a night, of from £12 to £24 value.” 
Olsen says: “Large quantities of soles were caught for the first three years.” 
“When the Silver Pits were first discovered,” writes Ansell, “and became fre- 
quented as a fishing ground, the sole was found in the winter months in such enormous 
quantities, that the name ‘Silver Pits’ was to the fishermen no unmeaning one, so 
prosperous were those who resorted thither.” 
