THE COD FAMILY. 253 



We thus have data by which we can form a fair idea of a 

 young haddock's rate of growth for, at least, the first year. 

 The July series of 4 inches can be 5 months old, allowing for a 

 spawning-period from February to May, inclusive, but are pro- 

 bably less (see below). The young fishes at the end of August, 

 from 3i to 6 inches in length, may be from 3 to 7 months old, 

 though they are probably within narrower limits than this. 

 The September series of 5 6^ inches may be from 6 to 8 

 months old, and the December forms of 5f to 7|- inches are 

 between 7 and 11 months old. The young haddock of May 

 and June in the following year, from 7^- to 9 inches, are, 

 according to the spawning period, 13 to 19 months in age. 



From these facts we may note that the rate of growth of 

 the haddock is very rapid during the summer of the first year, 

 and might roughly be given, as on an average, nearly one inch 

 per month ; but that on the approach of winter with its scarcity 

 of food and low temperature the rate of increase falls, and 

 young haddock nearly a year old (11 months) are sometimes 

 less than 7 inches in length. The effect of the seasonal 

 variations is still more manifest through the spring, so that 

 by May and June young haddock which may well be 17 months 

 of age, but not older, are about 9 inches in length, the propor- 

 tion of inches to months being now reduced to nearly one half. 

 The haddock appears to attain maturity in its third year, 

 and its growth-rate is probably not unlike that of the cod, 

 but rather less. 



THE BIB. (Gadns luscus, Willughby.) 



The bib is a form that seldom comes under observation on 

 the East Coast, but the remark by Day, that it spawns 

 towards the end of winter, would seem to be warranted. At 

 any rate on the 29th February, 1888, a ripe female occurred 

 at St Andrews. The egg-capsule is finely punctured, and 

 the micropyle resembles that of the haddock. The egg is 

 comparatively large, ranging (in spirit) from 114 to 1*16 mm., so 

 that when fresh this size may have been exceeded by - 076 to 

 114 mm. Mr Cunningham found certain eggs in the tow-net 



