248 RATE OF GROWTH OF SOME SEA FISHES. 



(3) Rapport sur le Lahoratoire de Goncarneau en 1888 et sur la 

 Sardine, Journ. de I'Anat et de la Phys., 1889. 



(4) Sur la Croissance de la Sardine oceanique, Comptes Rendus, 

 29 July, 1889. Tome cix, No. 3. 



(5) La Question de la Sardine, Eevue Scientifique, 11 Juin, 1887. 



(6) Le Regime de la Sardine, Hevue Scientifique, 24 Aout, 1889. 



(7) Rapport sur le Lahoratoire de Goncarneau en 1889 et sur la 

 Sardine, Journ. de I'Anat. et de la Phys., 1890. 



(8) Nouvelles observations sur la Sardine oceanique, Comptes 

 Rendus, 7 Avril, 1891. Tome cxii. 



In tlie first document in this list (1) we find in the general 

 report the following argument : 



Admitting that the sardine de derive {i. e, the full-grown sardine, 

 which is in all respects the same as the English pilchard), which is 

 fished at the end of winter, is sometimes almost ready to spawn, it 

 is impossible to admit that the sardine de rogue, which is taken 

 during the following six or seven months, is derived from the 

 spawning of these large sardines in the same year. Judging from 

 the data furnished by Coste and others concerning the growth of 

 the salmon and trout, and by H. A. Meyer as to the growth of the 

 herring, we may in all probability attribute to the sardine an increase 

 of 1 centimetre per month. Thus, the ordinary sardine de rogue, 

 10 to 12 centimetres long, would be about one year old. 



Annexe E of this same report contains a tabular record of the 

 results of the examination of sardines at Goncarneau from May 8th 

 to October 23rd, 1887. In this appendix no information is given 

 concerning the limits of size or the general character of the whole 

 catch for any particular day ; each entry consists merely of the 

 dimensions and other particulars of one or a few specimens 

 examined at a certain date. From the 8th to the 26th of May 

 inclusive, seventeen fish were examined; these were from 17*6 to 

 22"5 cm. in length ; with the exception of one, the smallest, these 

 were all adult sardines, and in some of them the generative organs 

 were approaching maturity. The sardine de rogue had not yet 

 made its appearance. On May 27th a specimen was 16'0 cm. long. 

 In June four specimens are recorded, 14*8 to 16'8 cm. long, weigh- 

 ing from 23 to 42 grammes. In July fourteen specimens examined ; 

 two of these were adult, 18*2 to 20"5 cm. long; the rest were from 

 12*0 to 17"9 cm. On the 6th and 29th of August two very small 

 specimens are recorded, measuring only 9'8 and about 10"5 cm. ; the 

 other nine examined this month were from 12*0 to 15' 1 cm. Even 

 the smallest of these, 9'8 cm. long, was probably too large to be 

 derived from the same year's spawning, and represents the spawn 

 shed late the preceding year. In September sixteen specimens 



