THE VARIATION, RACES AND MIGRATIONS OF THE MACKEREL. 247 



only 67o or 77o, whereas it is 217o for Lowestoft, 307o for Eamsgate, and 

 about 607o for Brest and County Kerry. 



The samples of largest-sized fish are those from Brest and County 

 Kerry, in which there are practically no fish below 13 inches in length. 



The American fish are intermediate in character between the Lowes- 

 toft and Plymouth samples, but are unique in regard to their great 

 uniformity in size, 867o being between 12 and 13f inches in length. 



The fish in the Scilly sample are a mixed lot, obtained over a wide 

 area at the western entrance to the English Channel. As the total 

 number of these fish does not amount to the number already assigned 

 as the minimum for a unit sample, their variations are not much 

 discussed on the present occasion ; but it is interesting to notice the 

 curious distribution of sizes among these 74 fish which were all captured 

 within a single month. The sample shows three distinct maxima of 

 frequency, one at 12 inches, another at 13 inches, and another at 14 

 inches (see table A). This phenomenon is not due solely to the mixture 

 of samples from different localities, for it is shown also in the single 

 consignment of 50 fish captured on June 9th. 



From what has been said, it will be seen to be possible to divide the 

 local samples into groups characterised by the preponderance of large, 

 moderate, or small sized fish. This grouping takes the following form : — 



Large : Kerry. 



Brest. 

 Moderate : Lowestoft. 



Eamsgate. 



Scilly. 



Newport, U.S.A. 

 Small : Plymouth. 



Kinsale. 



This grouping is by no means to be understood as implying that the 

 mackerel found in these localities constantly bear the size relations 

 assigned to them here. It is no doubt true that the largest fish are 

 always most abundant on the Atlantic coast, but the correspondence 

 between the samples and the natural distribution of the fish in this 

 instance must be regarded as an exceptional coincidence. The samples 

 are only representative of the fish caught at the dates mentioned in the 

 tables (subject to certain reservations already given in the particulars 

 concerning the consignments). To draw general conclusions upon the 

 natural distribution of size among the fish all round our coasts, it would 

 be necessary to secure the regular delivery of representative samples 

 from fixed stations throughout the year, as was done, for example, by 

 the Scottish Fishery Board in the case of the herring (4th Report S.F.B., 



