22 



In last 3^ear's Report, page 63, it was shown that during the 

 first and second weeks in September a change took place in the 

 local herring shoals, there being an immigration of fish with two 

 and three winter rings having a smaller growth increase for 1913 

 than those previously forming the shoals. These immigrants 

 -were spoken of as being probably later migrants into the North 

 Sea, but it is very doubtful if young fish of this age partake of such 

 an extensive migration. Similar changes in the composition of 

 our local shoals may have taken place in 1914, and may account 

 for the apparent lack of growth. In 1913, the June, July and 

 first August samples were taken further to the north than the 

 others, and it is probable that the same shoal may have been 

 followed south by the fishermen, thus bringing about the gradual 

 increase in growth as shown by the samples. 



If the localities from whence the samples were obtained be 

 arranged from north to south, and the age composition of the 

 samples and the average size of the fish having from two to four 

 winter rings be j)lotted irrespective of date of capture, as in Chart 

 III., it will be seen that the locality of capture nearest the middle 

 of the area from which the samples came furnished not only the 

 greatest number of the youngest herrings but, generally speaking, 

 the smallest fish for their age. This would seem to point to some 

 segregation not only according to age but also according to size. 

 The more rapidly grown younger herrings evidently joined those 

 which were older, and the slower gro\\^l fish with three winter 

 rings remained in the district where those with two winter rings 

 were more plentiful. The curves drawn suggest that the regions 

 which jdelded samples 5 and 10 were similar to that from which 

 sample 7 was obtained. 



In the trawled herring samples the size of the fish according 

 to age was practically the same as in 1913. 



The Yorkshire coast drift net herring, sample 11, are of interest 

 as the average size of fish with two winter rings was 24-7 cm., with 

 three winter rings 25-2 cm., and with four winter rings 26-2 cm. 

 They were larger for their age than any of our local herrings, and 

 as has been pointed out the sample was captured further south 

 than samples 3 to 10, and contained more older fish. 



In sample 3 there was a fish with ten winter rings, the scales 

 of which showed a smaller growth during the third year than the 



