Ports at which Landed. 



The following table shows the nunibers of the marked plaice which were landed 

 at the various ports : — 



Seven each were landed at Largo, Burghead, and Bremerhaven ; six at Cromarty; 

 five each at Dysart and Nairn ; four each at Kirkcaldy, Sunderland, and Buckhaven ; 

 three each at St. Monans, Port Errol, Elie, Leven, and Vlaardingen ; and two each 

 at Brora, Broughty-ferry, and Gairloch. The following are ports of landing of one 

 fish only each : — Dornoch, Gourdon, Longhaven, Gruden, Rosehearty, Goteborg, 

 Newi:on-by-Sea, Billingsgate Market, Ramsgate, Kinghorn, Scalloway, Rockfield, 

 Portniahomack, Ardersier, Mallaig, Milfoi-d Haven, Arbroath, St. Combs. Rattray 

 Head, Fraserburgh, Findhorn, Boston, Holy Island, Oban, and Inverness. Eighteen 

 of the marked plaice recaptured were taken by the " Goldseeker." and no particulars 

 were obtained as to the port of landing of eighty-four of the fish. 



II. THE MIGRATIONS. 



Charts have been made showing the results of each of the marking experiments, 

 a straight line (or lines) being drawn between the station where the fish were 

 liberated, and the place where each fish was recaptured. In many cases, also four 

 quarterly charts of the same kind were prepared, showing the results for each three 

 months of the first twelve months following the Uberation. Some of these charts 

 are reproduced in this Report. Tables were also prepared, representing, in each 

 case, the number of days the fish was at hberty, the distance travelled, the direction, 

 and the mean rate of movement. 



In a few instances, it is clear that a mistake was made as to the exact place 

 where a marked fish was taken, e.g. when a fish is represented as having been 

 caught many miles from the place of Iberation within a few days after it was set 

 free. But there is no reason to question the general trustworthiness of the records. 



In connection with all such experiments on marked fish and the interpretation of 

 the results, certain facts must be borne in mind. Were all the conditions affecting 

 the life of the fish in the sea uniform in all respects, it might be expected that the 

 movements of the marked individuals from any station would show no predominance 

 in any particular direction. One would suppose that the fish would move equally 

 in all directions, so that the hnes of migration on the chart would be of a stellate 

 nature, that is to say, radiating from the centre of distribution. 



A second point to remember is that the results are dependent upon the distribu- 

 tion of fishing operations and their relative intensity. If, for example, no fishing, 

 or a comparatively small amount of fishing, takes place, say, on the eastern side 

 of a station, one would not expect to get fish in that direction, although, in point of 

 fact, they may have migrated thither. To understand fully the experiments, one 

 would require to know the amount of fishing in all directions in relation to the 

 stations where the fish were hberated. This information does not at present exist. 



