of the Fislieri/ Bon rd for Scothxnd. 881 



evident that a large nuinbei- of measurements of the older fishes would 

 require to be made at the same time in order to determine the natural 

 limits of the groups. 



Very large long rough dabs were taken in the Firth of Forth. 

 The largest female obtained in the hauls described at Station JIl. 

 in June measured 387 mm., or IT)] inches, another measured 349 mm. 

 and others 310 and 312 mm., The largest male obtained was 210 mm. 

 8| (inches), the next in size measuring 197 and 198 mm. 



IV. Moray Firth. 



The long rough dabs obtained in certain hauls in the Moray Firth 

 were also measured. On 4th July 1901 246 were caught in the small- 

 meshed net in 83-85 fathoms, about 8| miles oft' Kinnaird Head, and 

 their measurements indicated the presence of three groups. The first 

 consisted of 92 females and 46 males, the former having a range 

 of from 76 to 115 mm., with an average size of 98'6 mm., or 3^ inches, 

 while the males, A'arying from 87 to 11 3 mm., had an average size 

 of 99-8 mm., or 3if inches, the average for the group with the sexes 

 combined being 98'3mm. The next group consisted of forty-nine 

 females and fifteen males, the former ranging from 135 to 172 mm., 

 with an average size of 153*9 mm., or 6 Jg inches, while the males, 

 measuring from 128 to 157 mm., bad an average length of 140*9 mm., 

 or 5y^^ inches. The average for the group with sexes combined was 

 150-8 mm. A thii-d series comprised forty-three females with an 

 average size of 188-9 mm., and a range from 174 to 214, and one 

 male 172 mm. long. The apparent annual increments of growth 

 between the successive groups in this haul are, for females 55-3 

 and 35-0 mm., and for males 42*3 and 31*1 mm., the apparent incre- 

 ment for the second series with sexes combined being 52-5 mm. 



Other hauls were made with the small shrimp-net of the '' Garland " 

 in April and May in about 35 fathoms, eighteen miles north of 

 Macduflf. On Apiil 24th the first series consisted only of eight 

 fishes, namely, five females ranging from 66 to 73 mm., and with an 

 average size of 68-2 mm., or 2y^ inches, and three males from 67 

 to 73 mm., with a mean size of 69-3 mm. The next series consisted 

 of nine females and fifteen male.s, the former varying from 127 

 to 153 mm., and having an average size of 139-9 mm., or 5| inches, 

 and the latter ranging from 119 to 150 mm., with a mean size 

 of 135-9 mm. With the sexes combined the first series had an average 

 size of 68-6 mm., and the second one of 137*4 mm. The apparent annual 

 increment of growth from the first to the second series was, for females 

 71-7 mm., for males 66-3 mm., and for the combined sexes 68-8 mm., or 

 2^ inches. 



The havil on 31st May yielded only two long rough dabs of the first 

 series, a female measuring 96 mm., and a male 97 mm. The second 

 series comprised eighteen females from 127 to 155 mm. long, and with 

 an average size of 142-3 mm., or 5| inches, and seventeen males ranging 

 from 124 to 152 mm., who.se mean length was 138-7 mm. The annual 

 increment of growth based on two fi.shes in one series is of little value 

 alone, still here they correspond well with the facts in other cases, 

 showing an increase of 46*3 mm. for females, and 41*7 for males. The 

 .same remark applies to the amount of growth in the interval of 

 38 days, as deduced from comparison of the averages. For the females 

 of the first .series it was 27-8 mm., and for the males 27-7 mm. For the 

 second series the increment for females in the period was only 2-4 mm., 

 and for the males 2-8 mm. 



