22 



The first sample, taken in January, contained a number of herring 

 belonging to the same year classes as were found in the trawled 

 herrings landed at North Shields and also in the Yarmouth samples. 

 Frona the condition of the gonads the greater portion of these fish 

 would become probably spring spaA\T^iers. The second sample, 

 17th February, was caught in a seine net. Whilst ev^er}^ year class 

 found in the January sample was here represented there was a 

 greater number of j^oung fish, and, as was found in the winter 

 samples from Stornoway, Lerwick and the north coast of Suther- 

 land, fish with five winter rings were in comparativeh^ small 

 numbers. The sample of 10th March contained herrings from 

 two catches, one a catch of large herrings, the other of small. 

 The large Avere caught off Cramond Island and the small off Bo'ness. 

 They were packed carefully in the same box, but during transit 

 they became mixed and had to be sorted on arrival. It is possible 

 that some of the largest of the small herrings have been examined 

 with the larger fish. Whilst this may be the case, it does not affect 

 the general results, for the sample indicates that in the vicinity 

 of Cramond Island on 10th March the herrings were considerably 

 younger than the shoals supplying the two previous samples. 

 Although some Avere spawning and spent fish there was a consider- 

 able number of fish at stages II. and III., which considering the 

 date, 10th March, could not have become spring spawners this 

 year. 



An examination of Table II. will show^ considerable difference 

 in the age when first maturity is reached. In the Stornoway and 

 Lerwick samples virgin fish with six winter rings, the gonads being 

 at stage I., will be found, and similar fish with four and five wmter 

 rings were amongst the samples from Wick, Peterhead and North 

 Shields drift net herrings. The oldest fish at stage I. amongst the 

 trawled herrings frojn North Shields had four winter rings, and the 

 samples from Scarborough and Yarmouth had fish with three 

 winter rings at stage I. The youngest fish found to be full, stage 

 v., spawning or spent were those with two winter rings in the 

 samples from Stornoway, Peterhead, Scarborough and Yarmouth? 

 From the Shetlands herrings with three Avinter rings Avere found 

 as spaAvners in both autumn and spring shoals. 



It Avill be seen later, when groAA^th is considered, that a herring 

 spawning in sj)ring with tAvo Avinter rings on its scales, the edge 



