REPOET ON THE MARKING EXPERIMENTS ON PLAICE, 

 MADE BY THE S.S. '' GOLDSEEKER/' IN THE YEARS 

 1910-1913. 



By Dr. T. WEMYSS FULTON, F.E.S.E., Scientific Superintendent. 



{With Ten Charts.) 



I. INTRODUCTION. 



In a former Report,* I described the results of the marking experiments on the food 

 fishes, which were carried on by the research vessel " Goldseeker " during the six 

 years 1904-1909. In the present Report, the results are given of the continuation of 

 these experiments in the four years 1909-1913, so far as concerns the plaice. The ex- 

 periments with other species of fish, relatively few in numbers, will be dealt with later. 

 The total number of plaice marked and Uberated in the four years was 7166, 

 viz. 2879 males, 4090 females, and 197 whose sexes were not ascertained. The 

 total number recaptured was 3735, or 52-1 per cent., viz. 1530 males (53-1 per 

 cent.), 2163 females (52-9 per cent.), and 42 (21-3 per cent.) of those whose sexes 

 were unknown. The numbers liberated and recaptured in the various years are 

 as follows t : — 



* "Fishery Board for Scotland, Fifth Report (Northern Area) on Fishery and Hydrographical 

 Investigations in the North Sea and Adjacent Waters, 1908-191 1 ." Cd. 6950, 1913, p. 137. 



t The following fish were recaptured after the tables and text were completed. They are not 

 further referred to. 



Sc. 4918^. 10.— Liberated 13th June 1912, at Great Fisher Bank (57° 12' N. ; 4° E.); 

 female; length, 41*5 cm. Recaptured 29th November 1919, by the German steam trawler 

 "Hochkamp," at 57° 35' N. ; 3° 30' E. ; length, 61 cm.; growth, 19-5 cm. in 2714 days; 

 distance travelled, 28 miles N. 22° W. 



Sc. 2733 .-1. 10.— Liberated 5tti December 1912, 3 miles N.E. of Fidra Light, Experiment I. ; 

 female ; length, 40-5 cm. (see p. 79). Recaptured 8th August 1917, 16 miles S.E. of Bell Rock 

 (56° 18' N. ; 1° 58' W.) ; length, 49-1 cm. ; growth, 8 -6 cm. m 1707 days ; distance travelled, 28 

 miles N. 80° E, 



^V. 5586 A. 10.— Liberated 12th June 1913, 40 miles E. of May, Experiment IV. ; female ; 

 length, 45 cm. (see p. 157). Recaptixred 16th November 1917, 6 miles E. of Cruden Scaurs 

 (57° 27' N. ; 1° 39' W.) ; length, 48 -8 cm. ; growth, 3 -8 cm. m 1618 days ; distance travelled, 

 65 miles N. 8° E. 



Slvd Xo. 1533. — Liberated 12th November 1913, at Nairn Bay; male; length, 29 cm. (see 

 p. 299). Recaptured 10th February 1918, 8 miles S.E. of Dunbeath (58° 11' N. ; 3° 12' W.); 

 mark only ; 1551 days free ; distance travelled, 41 miles N. 49° E. 



Stud. Xo. 1402.— Liberated 30th May 1913, off Fidra Light ; male ; length, 29 cm. (see p. 83). 

 Recaptured 22nd June 1918, off Bell Rock (about 56° 25' N. ; 2° 10' W.); length, 39-7 cm. ; 

 growth. 10-7 cm. in 1849 days ; distance travelled, 23 miles N. 53° E. 



Sc. 5127 .4. 10.— Liberated 27th March 1913, on Aberdeen Bank ; female ; length, 39-6 cm. 

 (see p. 204). Recaptured 26th December 1918, 25 miles S.S.E. of Aberdeen (56° 48' N. ; 1° 

 35' W.), in 30 fathoms; length (21"), about 53 cm. ; growth, in 2100 days, about 13-5 cm. ; 

 distance travelled, 16 miles S. 87° W. 



Sc. 5239 A. 10.— Liberated 27th March 1913, E. of Smith Bank ; female ; length, 39 cm. 

 (see p. 287). Recaptured 29th January 1919, 40 miles N. by W. from Rattray (58° 11' N. ; 

 2^ 24' W.) ; length, 52-9 cm. ; growth, 13-9 cm. in 2134 days ; distance travelled. 9 miles N. 88° E. 

 Stud No. 1398.— Liberated 30th May 1913, 3 miles N.E. of Fidra Light, Experiment 

 I. ; male ; length, 30 cm. (see p. 83). Recaptured 27th February 1919, 20 miles E. of Bell 

 Rock (56° 32' N. ; 1°50'W. ; length, 43-9 cm. ; growth, 13-9 cm. in 1884 days; distance 

 travelled, 39 miles N. 66° E. 



8tvd No. 1531. — Liberated 12th November 1913, at Nairn Bay; male ; length, 3r5 cm. 



