358 



EEPORT ON THE PROBABLE AGES OF YOUNG FISH. 



both on the Fisher Bank in the middle of the North Sea, and in the 

 estuary of the Humber. 



Gadus merlangus, the Whiting. 



Mr. Holt finds that the whiting spawns in the North Sea from 

 the beginning of March to the early part of June, chiefly in April. 

 It is evident, therefore, that whiting taken on January 29th could 

 not be less than eight months old. The specimens taken on this 

 date are from 4 to 7^ inches long. The smaller, 4 to b^ inches, 

 might, I think, easily have reached that length if spawned the 

 preceding April. The others, 6 to 7^ inches long, are more doubtful ; 

 the adult whiting does not exceed 16 inches in length, and some 

 flounders, which are of the same size when full grown, reach 7^ 

 inches in a year ; I have, therefore, estimated the age of these 

 whiting at eleven months. I do not think, however, that a whiting 

 could reach 85 inches in less than one year, and have put down the 

 specimen of this size of February 20th as two years old. The 

 whiting of the year appear, like the plaice, in large numbers in 

 inshore waters, but later in the year ; this is shown by the abun- 

 dance of young specimens taken in the Humber at the beginning of 

 September. They are not, however, entirely restricted to littoral 

 zones, some having been taken in August in the middle of the 

 North Sea. 



