of the Fisher;/ liudfd for ScoUaiuL 



367 



The hauls in the Solway Firth also sometimes yielded moderately 

 good catches of dabs, and it will be seen that the average size of the 

 first series, as represented, approximates to that of the January catch 

 in Aberdeen Bay, but as the Solway dabs are smaller at all sizes, they 

 will be considered by themselves. 



It is unnecessary to go over each of the other cases separately, and I 

 shall here tabulate the amended ranges and mean size of some of them, 

 based upon the limits of the group, the upper of which is ascertained 

 and the lower assigned on the evidence indicated and stated in each 

 ease. All the hauls, it must be understood, except those mentioned 

 above, were made not with the finer-meshed net, but with the one-cm. 

 mesh (fig. I.a). The alteration in the average is therefore more 

 considerable in these cases than in those already considered, because the 

 proportion of small fishes added is greater. 



* This haul was imperfect by the comparative absence of the larger indixiduals. 



The haul in May in the Forth shows that the dab when about one 

 year old has on the average an approximate length of 67 mm., or 

 2f inches, and a range from 42 (or 33) mm., i.e. from 1| (or 1^) inches 

 to about 98 or 100 mm., or 3!^r inches. 



The July hauls indicate a mean size of about 33-r) mm., or 1 ^^ inches, 

 in the period of about two months and a half, and a range of from 

 18 mm. {\\ inch) to 49 mm. (If;] inches). 



