340 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Common grenadier, Macrourus bairdii Goode and Bean 



Recent records show that the grenadier is comparatively common on muddy 

 bottom in the gulf, at depths greater than about 90 fathoms and that it may occasion- 

 ally be taken shoaler, for one was reported from the slope of Jeffreys Ledge in about 

 50 fathoms during March 1934. The capture of a ripe male in late September verifies 

 the earlier suggestion that the grenadier is an autumn spawner. The largest fish 

 taken by Albatross //was 16 inches long. This grenadier has now been taken as far 

 eastward as the Grand Banks of Newfoundland (Nfld. Rpt., 1933 (1934), p. 116). 



American plaice, Hippoglossoides platessoides (Fabricius) 



Recent trawling by Albatross II and Atlantis proves this species to be generally 

 distributed even in the deeper parts of the central basin of the gulf, to a depth of at 

 least 120 fathoms. A specimen 15% inches long caught off Montauk Point, N. Y., in 

 112 fathoms, February 6, 1930, is the most southerly and westerly record. 



As this flounder is a spring spawner it may be assumed that bottom stages 69 to 80 

 mm long trawled off Cape Cod, May 1, were about 1 year old, and 85 to 118 mm fry 

 found at several localities in July and August were between l}{ and IK years old, 

 those of 8-10 inches, 2% to 2% years. 



Four-spotted flounder, Paralichthys oblongus (Mitchill) 



This flounder, formerly thought rare to the east of Cape Cod, has recently been 

 found here and there on the southern half of Georges Bank. Previously known only as 

 far southward as New York, many have been trawled by the Albatross //south to the 

 Virginia Capes (hat. 36°45' N.). 



The fact that captures were made in 23 to 112 fathoms in February (7 stations), 

 31 to 52 fathoms in March (two stations), 10 to 85 fathoms in April (eight stations), 

 15 to 35 fathoms in May (four stations), 11 to 47 fathoms in June (five stations), and 

 41 fathoms in July (one station) indicates that it is present and widely distributed in 

 this general depth zone the year round. 



The capture of ripe specimens as late as mid-July shows that the breeding season 

 is not limited to spring, as formerly supposed, but extends well into the summer. 



Rusty dab, Limanda ferruginea (Storer) 



Capture of a specimen, in the offing of Hog Island, Va. (lat. 37° 41' N.) consider- 

 ably extends the known range to the southward. The captures of young dabs 2 to 4 

 inches long iD February (17 fish), 2% to 4% inches in April (26 fish), 2% to 5% inches in 

 May (10 fish), 3 to 5 inches in June (3 fish) and 3 to 6% inches in July (13 fish) yield the 

 first data as to rate of growth. According to this growth schedule the rusty dab 

 reaches a length of approximately 5 inches at 1 year of age. 



Winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum) 



The recovery, off Chatham and on Nantucket Shoals, of winter flounders 

 tagged and released at Woods Hole proves that some of them, at least, may wander 

 for longer distances than previously supposed. 



