18 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHHERINS 
ber of tags by recreational fishermen indicated that this type of 
gear took ‘almost as many fish as the commercial gear in the tagging 
areas. Since year-round recoveries were made near the tagging Tocal- 
ity, while seasonal recoveries occurred from points relatively far 
removed, it may be concluded that racial types, or at least groups 
with differing summer habitats, exist. 
Age and grow om Long Island flounders col- 
lected by the Long Island Survey hd from Narragansett Bay, sup- 
plied by the Narragansett Marine Laboratory, were Pepe, read, 
and the results partially analyzed. Particular attention was paid 
to the Long Island collection, since these data will be of Falun im con- 
nection with the survey conducted by the State of New York. 
It was found that length frequencies, except for the 0-group and 
to some extent for the I- group, were useless In determining ages of 
flounders because of the multi-moded character of the length fre- 
quencies of fish other than the 0-group. Examination of the scales 
proved to be more enlightening, although the reading of some scales 
was complicated by false checks, double checks, and regeneration 
marks. Comparison of age and length availed but little, since often- 
times fish with two definite checks: might be larger than fish with 
three definite checks, even in the same ‘sample. In addition, it was 
found that females were consistently larger than males of the same 
age. Samples from one area showed orowth rate differences when 
compared to samples from other regions. This evidence definitely 
indicates that the population of flounders is composed of groups with 
varied growth rates and possibly different habits in other respects. 
Tn general, the size at each age is: End of first sea, % inches; 
end of second year, 114 inches: end of third year, 97% inches; end 
of fourth year, 1114 inches; end of fifth year, 18 ‘michesk and end of 
sixth year, 1834 inches. 
Races.—In addition to positive evidence of the existence of sepa- 
rate races from tagging recoveries and age and growth studies, exam- 
ination of the characteristics of juvenile fish also indicates that dif- 
ferences exist. These differences are in the length-width ratio, degree 
of twist in the snout, angle of head profile, location of the eyes, ‘and 
ratio of head length to ‘total length. Preliminary findings suggest 
two types of flounders: A thin, narrow-bodied type with “the snout 
sharply twisted, a low head profile and a large head: and a rela- 
tively thick, wide-bodied type with a straight snout, high head pro- 
file, and small head. It is thought that these two types represent the 
offshore and inshore races, since both groups are known to spawn 
in the same general areas. 
These general lines of investigation will be continued in the future, 
with emph asis on the collection of detailed and reliable catch statis- 
tics and on a thorough study of the life history. 

ANALYSIS OF GROUNDFISH ABUNDANCE 
Analysis of groundfish abundance was undertaken early in 1938, 
under the direction of Dr. Geor ge A. Rounsefell. For some time the 
need of this work has been increasingly apparent because of serious 
problems created by this rapidly expanding fishery. 
New England landings of fish and shellfish from 1930-35 (exclud- 
ing 1934 ‘for which ‘figures are not available) have averaged 
