AD, J. H. ORTON. 
advisable to place them on record as they stand, so that they may be 
available for other workers at any time. The short explanatory state- 
ment of the methods employed was prepared by Dr. Orton, who had 
charge of most of the work, to accompany the figures when they were 
sent to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and was not written by 
him with a view to publication. The drawings have been made by 
Mrs. Sexton.—K. J. ALLEN. ] 
THE INVESTIGATIONS MADE. 
In accordance with the general scheme of the Board of Agriculture and 
Fisheries two samples of herrings each of more than 500 specimens have 
been examined. In the season of 1914-15 we were able to examine in 
such numbers only the herrings spawning near Plymouth, 1.e. in the 
locality of Bigbury Bay. In December, 1914, a sample of 550 herrings 
of the shoal spawning in this area was examined in all the characters 
recommended by the Board, and in January, 1915, a further sample 
of 525 fish from the same locality was investigated similarly. 
In early December, 1914, a small sample of herrings from Cawsand Bay 
was examined for the purpose of practice and also for comparison with 
fish from the spawning grounds. 
Along with the investigations mentioned above are submitted particu- 
lars of a sample of 84 herrings taken in the Channel and examined by 
Mr. R. 8. Clark in July, 1914. 
THE CHARACTERS STUDIED. 
The following is the scheme of the characters studied, as authorised by 
the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries :— 
All measurements* are to be made with the special apparatus supplied 
by the Board. The fish should be placed upon the board in such a way 
that the snout is pressed against the end board sufficiently hard to keep 
the mouth shut and the body of the fish should be at right angles to the 
end board. The measurements are to be in all cases the shortest distance 
from the end board to each point specified. They are to be in the order 
given below, and tabulated in this order on the forms supplied. A diagram 
of the herring is appended (Fig. 1), showing the measurements to be taken. 
The measurements required are as follows :— 
From the end board to 
(1) Nearest point of bony orbit. 
(2) Hinder edge of operculum. 
* Measurements are all given in centimetres. 
