54 



THE AGE AND GEOWTH OF THE PILCHARD. 



By B. STOREOW. 



The presence of a pilchard m a sample of herrings from 18 1 

 miles S.E. by E. of the Tjaie, taken 19th May, 1914, was recorded 

 in the Report of last year, and it was also noted that other specimens 

 had been found amongst herrings by local fish merchants. The 

 fish was 23-2 cm. long, and a male apparently recovering after 

 spawning. 



In order to see if the scales of the pilchard had similar trans- 

 parent rings to the winter rings of the scales of the herring, an exam- 

 ination was made of the scales taken from the side of the body from 

 behind the operculum to a level with the posterior end of the anal 

 fin. The scale-covered portion of the body was divided into seven 

 areas as follows : — A, from behind the operculum and covering 

 one-third of the distance to the beginning of the dorsal fin ; B, from 

 A to immediately in front of the dorsal fin ; C, the area below 

 the dorsal fin ; D and E, the anterior and posterior half respectively 

 of the region between the end of the dorsal and beginning of the 

 anal fin ; F and G, the anterior two-thirds and posterior third of 

 that part of the body above the anal fin. The body behind the 

 end of the anal fin was void of scales. 



Altogether 108 scales were examined, and in 84 of these six 

 transparent rings were to be seen. The remaining 24 scales, from 

 which it was impossible to determine exactly the number of trans- 

 parent rings, came from that part of the body posterior to the begin- 

 ning of the anal fin. Generally, the rings were distinct in their 

 apical portion, but were more strongly marked at the anterior 

 angles of the scales. Scales taken from areas C and D, that is, 

 from below the beginning of the dorsal fin to halfway between the 

 end of the dorsal and beginning of the anal fin, were found to have 

 the transparent rings well marked in all cases. In scales from 

 the anterior portion of the body, areas A and B, the first winter 

 ring, although clearly marked at the sides, was often somewhat 



