32 



fifth winter rings for both the Stornoway (SY.) and Shetland (LK.) 

 fish here follows : — 



FIRST YEAR GROWTH. 



ISTMBERS AT CENTIMETRES. 



Although there are differences between the first j^ear growth 

 as regards the numbers found under different centimetres the 

 range is practically the same. In the Lerwick samples the largest 

 fish at the end of the first year is found amongst the autumn 

 spa^vners and the smallest amongst the spring spawners. The 

 fifth year growth shows considerable difference, the spring 

 spawners being much bigger fish on the whole than the autumn 

 spawners. For the purpose of tracing the growth made in different 

 years the table on the opposite page has been prepared for the 

 Stornoway herrings here considered, and the growth for the sixth 

 year has been added. It will be observed that no fish amongst 

 the spring spa\\Tiers is longer than an autumn spa^vner at the 

 end of the second year. By the end of the third year certain of 

 the spring spav^Tiers have exceeded the autumn spawners, and these 

 fish are probably those which arrived at maturity earty in life. 

 The difference in growth gradually becomes more marked with 

 age, and the fifth year growth of the spring spawners is better 

 than the sixth year growth of the autumn spawners. 



Lea* states that growth begins in x4.pril, and that by the end 

 of August 92 per cent, of the yearly growth has been attained. 



A study on the Growth of Herrings. Pub. de Circ, No. 61, p. 41. 



