THE VARIATION, RACES AND MIGRATIONS OF THE MACKEREL. 243 



caught in the neighbourhood of that port. The samples are enumerated 

 in the order in which they appear in the tables at the end of this 

 report. The order is geographical, except that the American sample, 

 the characters of which are shown to be quite peculiar, is placed at the 

 head of the list. 



Newport, U.S.A., October 18th, 1897. 100 fish. "The mackerel are 

 just as they were taken from the water, without selecting as to sizes, 

 but being a perfect sample of a catch of 400 fish taken in a trap 

 or pound net in the waters near Newport, R.I." — Messrs. Blackford, of 

 Fulton Market, New York. (See Introduction.) 



Lowestoft (1.) October 7th, 1897. 100 fish. Caught in nets 4 miles 

 S.E. from Lowestoft. " These are the finest sample of fish to-day for 

 the season. They have been much smaller hitherto. They are not 

 selected." — Mr. Alfred T. Turner, Trawl Market, Lowestoft. 



(2.) October 12th, 1897. 50 fish. Caught in nets 14 miles S. by E. 

 from Lowestoft — Mr. Turner. These are the half of an average 100 

 of fish taken direct from the boat ; but they are not representative 

 of the whole catch, as, owing to a misunderstanding, the 50 smaller 

 fish out of the hundred were alone forwarded. " The difference in 

 size between the two half-hundreds was, however, not great." — A. T. T. 



(3.) June 28th, 1898. 50 fish. Nets. A representative sample from 

 Mr. Turner. 



(4.) July 12th, 1898. 100 fish. Caught in nets 10 or 12 miles E. of 

 Lowestoft, " quite abreast of the town." — Mr. Turner. A representative 

 sample, except that the four smallest fish (measuring 11^ and llf 

 inches in length), out of a total of 104 examined, have been eliminated. 



Ramsgate, October 27th, 1897. 100 fish. Caught in nets off the 

 Kentish Knock, about 20 to 24 miles from Eamsgate Harbour. A 

 representative sample. Messrs. W. Ferridge & Co., Central Fish Market, 

 Ramsgate. 



•^o^ 



Plymouth (1.) July to October, 1897. 76 fish. Caught in a variety 

 of ways. Not representative. The following are the dates, places, and 

 methods of capture. 



July 21st. In the Sound near the Laboratory. Seine. 12 fish. 

 „ 22nd. 1 mile S. of Breakwater. Hook and line. 13 fish. 

 Sept. 21st. ProhaUy off Penlee Point. Hook. 10 fish. 

 „ „ River Tamar, 5 miles above Saltash. 1 fish. 

 Oct. 7th. River Tamar, Saltash to Cargreen. Small-meshed drift 

 net. 3 fish. 

 „ 20th. Between Eddystone and Mewstone. Pilchard nets. 19. 

 „ 27th. Probably off Eddystone. Pilchard nets. 18 fish. 



