34 



Percentage at C'ExriMETRES. 



Of herrings with five winter rings there were six only in sample 

 Bl. Those of sample Al had a smaller first year growth than those 

 in sample 2, and sample CI again differs from sample 2, and in the 

 same way as found for the herrings with three and four winter 

 rings, but sample 2 with 15 per cent, with a first year gro\\i}h of 

 5 cm. probably also gives evidence of a mixture of growth groups. 

 The first year growth was as follows : — 



Sample 4 was taken 16th August ; sample 5, 22nd August ; 

 and sample Dl, 26th August ; and as will be seen from the chart 

 they represent different parts of the fishing ground. Herrings 

 with four winter rings had in August become the predominant 

 year class throughout the area, and the samples show, as will be 

 seen from the following data, the fish of this age with a compara- 

 tively large first year growth more abundant in the southern 

 portion of the area. These samples when compared with those 

 of June and early July give evidence that fish with a compara- 

 tively large first year growth had joined the shoal in August as 

 happened in 1914. The first year growth for herrings with four 

 winter rings here follows : — 



Percentage at Centimetres, 



Sample. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Nos. 



Dl 1 4 15 31 26 14 6 3 — 1 — 141 



4 1 5 14 24 24 21 7 4 1 — — 106 



5 — 3 8 14 26 25 12 8 2 — — 86 



The numbers of fish with three winter rings are too small to 

 admit of comparison, but those of five winter rings are of interest. 

 When the examination of sample Dl was being made note was 

 taken that about a fourth of the sample was found to be ready 

 for spawning.* Twenty-five per cent, of the sample consisted of 



* Report, New Series, VI., page 11. 



