50 
Two samples were examined from Buncrana. The first was 
taken 24th January from 8 miles north from the mouth of Lough 
Swilly, and the second, 4th March, from 25 miles from Lough 
Swilly. The first sample contained the largest herrings yet 
examined from Irish waters, there being 22 per cent. at 31 cm., 
31 per cent. at 32 cm., and 18 per cent. at 33 cm. As will be seen 
from Table I. in Mr. Storrow’s paper, the fish were principally 
fish with four, five, six and eight winter rings. Both samples 
were mature fish; the first consisted of fish at stage V., and the 
second sample came from a spawning shoal. The age composi- 
tion of the March sample resembled that of the January, except 
that there were rather more fish with three winter rings. 
Attention was drawn in last year’s report to the difference 
in size of the samples of spring spawning herrings from Buncrana, 
and the samples of this year further indicate the possibility of there 
being shoals off the north-west coast of Ireland having different 
growths. The samples when compared as below show that the 
January shoals consisted of larger fish than were caught in March. 
CENTIMETRES. 















| os : | 
Station. | Datc. | “iter | 56 | 07 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 38 | 34 | Total. 
| Rings. | 
| ~<a | all —_—! 
| | 
Buncrana T. po), AE fly pee 3 |=) | 2B 1) —}|—}] — | — | = 3 
| | | 
Bunerana ll. ...' 4/3/22 3 | 65) 10) 8) 4) ee ee 
Buncrana t. eee A POU ae 4 | — el eb Gy aly | 8 Ao | 37 
Bunerana II. ...| 4/3/22... 4) 23) 6 18.1 6s 18) is) es 
3uncranal. ...| 24/1/22 ... 5 |) = h8 5 | a a one ees 
Bunerana II. ...| 4/2/22 5 | —|—1] 4] 10)18) SS )——) =) — ) 
3uncrana I, wee) BLM OO" 2 6 | 116)2|| $225 Seal eal 
Buncrana II. ...| 4/3/22 ... 6) — | =| — | = aa) ee ee 
Buneranad.  ...! 24/1/22... in| | PNG) Gra |) ed 
Buncrana IT. 24/320 ee it = = | = | = 1 4} 6 = 11 
Bunerana 1, ...| 24/1/22 ... gl = | - Ney [al Se 
Bunerana II. ...! 4/3/22 ... 8 a eee 4 3) 12 6 3.) == Zit 
| 


When comparing the size of the herrings from the samples 
examined in 1919-20 it was shown that the more northerly shoals 
had a more rapid growth than those further south. The Irish 
samples yield further evidence of oceanic herrings having a quicker 
growth than those from narrower and shallower waters. 
