48 



Another young ballan wrasse, 1-8 cm. long, was taken in a 

 rock pool, 18th August, 1916. The scales were small and showed 

 from three to five concentric ridges. 



An older fish, 27-5 cm., was obtained 9th November, 1915. 

 Scales were examined from different regions of the body, and all 

 gave the same reading for age, except those on which the concentric 

 ridges were absent, about the focus of the scale. There was some 

 difficulty in determining the winters, especially as the concentric 

 ridges in the lateral portions of the scale became more and more 

 parallel with the edge as age advanced. From calculations made 

 the growth for this fish would appear to be as follows : — 



BASS, M or one lahrax. 



The scales of the bass are from the standpoint of age deter- 

 mination very similar to those of the ballan wrasse. There is 

 the same but more strongly marked evidence of stoppage of growth 

 in the area of the radiating grooves, and also in the lateral portions 

 of the scale. 



Three specimens have been obtained, and the size, age, date 

 and locahty of capture, and rate of growth as obtained by express- 

 ing the scale in terms of the length of the fish are as follows : — 



