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Show 1879.] OF WESTON-SUPER-MARE. 743 the migration of marine and littoral species of fish this year has been rather peculiar. Along the coast of France some forms have almost forsaken their usual haunts, but appeared in other stations, from which they had in former seasons been almost absent. Captain Salmond, of the ' Charlotte and Jane,' observes, respecting his fishing-voyages to the North Sea this year: - "It turns out, up to the time I write (June 2nd), that it is a failure in regard to Soles ; also the offal is not so plentiful as in other summers. At Heligoland the fishermen have had a bad time, some being on the brink of starvation." It was stated in the papers during October that " Eastern Siberia has been suffering from famine, no whales or fish having visited those waters this summer." Temperature is well known to exert a great influence on the migration of fishes, while we are aware of having experienced a long and severe winter, followed by a very cold spring and a comparatively colder summer. This may to a considerable extent account for the abnormal manner in which the distribution (not general supply) of marine forms has occurred throughout the last season. I therefore deem it advisable to give the temperature of the air as observed at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, and for which I am indebted to W . Ellis, Esq. Deviation of Mean Temperature from Average of 20 Years. November 1878 -3*0 December „ -7*1 January 1879 -6*9 February „ -1*5 March " „ -0*3 April „ -4*3 May „ .. -4*7 June „ -2*9 July „ -4*5 August „ -2*0 The above figures show that the temperature of the air has been below the average of that experienced during the last twenty years in every month referred to. While engaged on this paper, by the kindness of the Earl of Ducie, F.R.S., 1 have been permitted to examine and make use of the diary kept by his lordship while on the yachting-tours which he has for several successive seasons made to Ballinskellig Bay, in Ireland, situated on the same latitude as Greenwich and Weston-super-Mare. The notes are so complete and interesting that I cannot but regret merely giving a summary, for such accurate data are probably unattainable elsewhere. During the last four years fishing has been done from a 30-ton cutter, but in 1873 and 1874 from yacht-boats. The takes have been as follows :- P R O C . Z O O L . S o c - 1 8 7 9 , No. XLVIII. 48 |