54 



HERRING RACES. 



PRELIMINARY WORK. 



A. — Morphological Features. 



BY ALEXANDEK MEEK. 



In the report for the year ending June 30th, 1912, a table was 

 given of the measurements of samples of herrings caught by trawlers 

 in September and October, 1911, and also of a small number (30) of 

 herrings caught in November, and obtained from Yarmouth. 



In 1912, samples were similarly examined of trawl-caught 

 herring from the same Dogger Bank region, some 120 miles east of 

 the Tjme, and extending N.E. and S.W. over an area of about 50 

 miles. The fishing began in August, and ended on October 22nd. 

 The number of trawl-caught herring measured was 110, and during 

 the same season two samples of drift net herring, caught (a) 

 September 6th, 60 miles E. | N., and (6) September 10th, 30 miles 

 E. JN., were examined, these latter samples numbering together 

 78. 



In 1913, 1,503 drift net and 1,708 trawl herring were obtained 

 from the locahties and on the dates shown in the following table 

 (Table 1). The localities of capture of these and of the herrings 

 caught in the previous two seasons are indicated in the chart. 



The measurements made were, total length, length of head (to 

 edge of operculum), scale covered portion of the body (from edge 

 of operculum to beginning of tail, along same fine as total length), 

 and from the level of the anterior end of the head, mouth closed, 

 measurements were made to the inner angle of anterior end of the 

 pelvic fins, to the ventral (anal) fin, and to the anterior and posterior 

 ends of the dorsal fin. Besides observations were made as to the 

 condition of the gonads, and as to the number and relative posi- 

 tion of the winter rings of the scales. 



