Ocean research and the great fisheries . Isles, 3J per cent, fromIceland, 2 per cent, from France and the Bay of Biscay, and1 per cent, from Portugal and Morocco. So the family hasa wide distribution. It is caught on each side of the 50° which separates the Northern from the Southern fishes,but is a good deal more common to the south of that line,and off Portugal and Morocco it formed no less than 20 per cent,of the 24,954 tons landed in 1906. The real fact is, of course,that the family of Raiidae—all of whom are classed as skatesand rays by the trade—range from cold-water species like
Ocean research and the great fisheries . Isles, 3J per cent, fromIceland, 2 per cent, from France and the Bay of Biscay, and1 per cent, from Portugal and Morocco. So the family hasa wide distribution. It is caught on each side of the 50° which separates the Northern from the Southern fishes,but is a good deal more common to the south of that line,and off Portugal and Morocco it formed no less than 20 per cent,of the 24,954 tons landed in 1906. The real fact is, of course,that the family of Raiidae—all of whom are classed as skatesand rays by the trade—range from cold-water species like theArctic ray {B. Hyperhorea) to hot-water forms. British Catch (Analysed)The following ports landed the greatest quantities : 2^ons. Tons. North Shields . 863 Lowestoft . .720 Hull .... 1,682 Milford . . 2,647 Grimsby . . 3,368 Fleetwood . . Total (six ports) : 12,494 tons out of 17,972. 1 In 1920 the landings were : Tons. £ England 17,843 625,534 Scotland 6,339 81,493 Great Britain . . 24,182 707,027 PLATE X. s rSS ^ ^ CD i o :£ to •g bD P^ w 02 rd V l-H c8 ft . Q ^ & ^3 •~ o g ^ H s < M ^ p. 128 SKATES AND RAYS 129 Fluctuations in the Catch Landings by first-class vessels on the east coast of Englandhave fluctuated as follows : 1908. 1909. 1910 1911. 1912. 1913. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Steam . 4,949 4,290 3,307 2,956 3,116 3,315 Sailing vessels . 1,180 1,092 884 773 1,131 1,005 6,129 5,382 4,191 3,729 4,247 4,320 Minchm is of opinion that the trawls are gradually extir-pating the rays, a slow growing and not very prolific tribe .He has therefore probably information which the writer hasbeen unable to find as to the wanderings, the spawning, andthe rate of growth of this interesting family. Life-History But the writers information about the hfe-history of theRaiidae is meagre in the extreme. We do not know apparentlythe factors which make for or against the safe hatching of theeggs in the egg cases, or against or for infant mortality
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