BARENTS SEA IN AUGUST, 1907. 87 



spawning has taken place. This is in regard to the proportions of 

 the sexes. 



Recent investigations* have shown that a high percentage of males 

 is characteristic of the catches in areas where plaice are spawning, or 

 have recently spawned. To gain additional knowledge on this point, 

 I made, in the first days of February this year (1907), a voyage in the 

 Lowestoft smack Boschud, and measured all the plaice caught, 2631 

 fish, of these no fewer than 85 per cent being males. The spawning 

 season had then about half expired. 



Table IV. — Sliowing mialyds of the total catch of plaice made by the Lowes- 

 toft sailing -trawler ^'Rosebud" January ^\st to February 5th, 1907. 

 Eastern Deep Water : — 



The early hauls of the Roman, referred to just above, were, roughly 

 speaking, in a series — starting from the deep water to the west of the 

 bank, extending over the same, and dropping again into deep water to 

 the east of it. 



Three hauls were made up the western slope at depths of 55, 40, 

 and 38 fathoms. The complete catch of two of these hauls, and a 

 greater part of the third, was measured, and the condition of the re- 

 productive organs examined, the numbers showing that males greatly 

 predominated here. 



Out of the 294 fish comprising these samples, 179, or 61 per cent, 

 were males ; the first haul, indeed, in 55 fathoms, resulted in a catch 

 of 42 fish, of which 33, or 79 per cent, were males. 



Crossing the bank with water as shallow as 26 fathoms, measure- 

 ments of two hauls were made, these samples amounting to 288 fish. 

 The males now only numbered 123, or 43 per cent. 



In three hauls down the eastern slope, the water deepening to 

 49 fathoms and shoaling again to 40, and eventually to 37 fathoms, 

 an eighth, nearly half, and, on the third occasion, the whole of the 

 catch was measured, 



A complete reversal in the pjvjjortion of the sexes, as compared ivith the 

 west side, had now taken place. Out of 319 fish dealt with, only 115, 

 or 36 per cent, were males. 



After the last haul of this batch, the vessel steamed westward on to 



* rM2}ports et Proces-Verhaux. Vol. vii, 1907. Comni. B., p. 20. 

 NEW SEEIES. — VOL. VIII. NO. 2. G 



