49 
The Howth sample, taken 9th September, 18 miles E.N.E. 
from Howth harbour, gives an interesting curve for size. The curve 
has two maxima, a small one under 22 cm., and a larger one under 
27 and 28 cm. 
Reference to Table II. will show that this is due to the small 
number of fish with three winter rings found in this sample. It 
is worth notice that although the fish with two and three winter 
rings are similar in size to the June Ardglass and the Kilkeel 
sample, the fish with four winter rings are decidedly larger. The 
following data show this difference :— 
CENTIMETRES. 
Station Date. eee 24 day 2G NN 27 28 89» Totals: 
Rings. 
Ardglass I. LS lGiZilee + 1 2 6 3 ee, 
Ardelass Tl. . 6/8/21 ; 4 = BF Alby Sih) 8 Sys) 
Kilkeel 5 PAV AMOY 201 4 I 9 10 i eS Al 
Howth 9/9/21 t — 1 Se love wlelt z 37 
As will be seen from Mr. Storrow’s Table L., Maturity, this 
sample was, for the most part, composed of spawning fish. 
The Galway Bay sample was taken 13th December, and shows 
a decided contrast with the sample from the Irish Sea. Although 
composed chiefly of young fish, most of them having three and 
four winter rings, and 16 per cent. with only two winter rings, 
they were large fish. Table I. shows that the greatest numbers 
of fish were from 28 to 29 cm. in length, and a fair number at 
30cm. These fish were for the most part spents. 
In the Downings sample there are two distinct cusps in the 
The first is at 27 cm., and the second occurs at 
30 cm. There were twenty fish out of 130 which had attained 
a greater size than 30 em. Reference to Table I. will show that 
the data for size is influenced by the age composition of the sample. 
This sample contained larger herring than that from Galway Bay, 
but the difference is probably due to the Downings sample con- 
taining more of the older fish. The sizes of fish with three winter 
rings given below show the Galway Bay herrings are larger. 
size data. 
CENTIMETRES. 
Station. per toy en) Gn 27 (OS 20~« 80. Sh otal: 
Rings. 
Downings eels 3 -—- 1 16 16 5 1 —_— —_— 42 
Galway Bay 3 1 — 10 23 30 7 _ ] 77 
