19 



The winter samples, representing the shoals from the Ramna 

 Stacks to N.N.E. of Flugga, and consisting of spring spawning 

 fish, were marked by the high numbers of herrings with six and 

 seven winter rings, and the small number of fish with five winter 

 rings. 



Wick and Peterhead Samples. — These samples, with the 

 exce]3tion of that from Peterhead in September, consisted chiefl}^ 

 of young fish, the majority with three winter rings. There was 

 over 20 per cent, with four winter rings, and a very small number 

 with two winter rings. They were in June chiefly at stages 1. 

 and II., and developed during the season. August samples from 

 both Wick and Peterhead contained a number of fish sufficiently 

 developed to become autumn spawners. Only one sample repre- 

 senting the autumn spawners was obtained, and it came from 14 

 miles east of Peterhead. It was a sample of spent fish, with a 

 small number of young, virgin fish at stage I. and two fish at stage 

 IV. Herrings varying in age from fish with two winter rings to 

 those with twelve winter rings were found amongst the spents, 

 but the number of older fish was not so great as was found for the 

 Shetland sample of autumn spawners. 



The samples of Avinter herring coming from the north coast 

 of Sutherland were composed chiefly of fish with six and seven 

 winter rings. These herrings were present in sufficient numbers 

 to amount to over 60 per cent, of the samples, there being about 

 41 per cent, with six winter rings and 22 per cent, with seven 

 winter rings. Herrings with five winter rings were poorly repre- 

 sented. The fish which had given the greater part of the wealth 

 of the summer fishing before the advent of the spawning shoals 

 and now had four winter rings, the last being at the edge of the 

 scale, were present in fair numbers. There was a small number 

 of fish with three winter rings. The two samples contained together 

 359 fish, and of these only three were at stage III., the others were 

 either very near to spawning or were spawning fish or spents. 



North Shields Samples. — Whilst only three samples were 

 analysed from the North Shields drift net herring, these do not 

 represent fully the number of fish examined. During the whole 

 of the herring season I was at North Shields Fish Quay at least 

 once a week, generally twice, and often three times. On these 



