I 



47 



size on recapture, after 63 days, and the other, measuring -irS-O-Sl -9 cm., in Jul}^ 1913, 

 after 889 days. 



Under 20 miles. — Thus, 16 of the fish, or 29*6 per cent., were recaptured at dis- 

 tances of under 20 miles, viz. 6 males (25 per cent.), with an average distance of 9 

 miles, 9 females (32-1 per cent.), with an average distance of 7J miles, and 1 of un- 

 distinguishable sex, which went 7| miles. 



20 to 50 miles. — Eleven plaice, or 20 "i per cent., migrated distances between 

 20 and 50 miles, viz. 7 females (25 per cent.), with an average of 39 miles, and 4 males 

 (16"6 per cent.), with an average of 27"2 miles. One of the females went to the 

 south and east for 48i miles, and all the others to the north-east, for distances of 

 from 26 to -451 miles. Three of the males had moved to the east and south, off the 

 mouth of the Firth, for 23, 24, and 34 miles, and 1 to the north and east for 28 miles. 



50 to 100 miles. — Fourteen, or 25-9 per cent., were found at distances of from 52 

 to 85| miles, viz. 6 males (25 per cent.), with an average of 74 miles, 7 females 

 (25 per cent.), with an average of 68"8 miles, and 1 of undistinguished sex, at 78| 

 miles. All the males had migrated to the north and east, and were taken off the 

 coast of Aberdeenshire. Five of the 7 females had gone in the same direction, to 

 the north and east, and were taken off the coast of Aberdeenshire ; 2 went to the 

 south and east for distances of 53 and 85J miles. 



Over 100 miles. — Thirteen, or 24*1 per cent., were recovered at distances of from 

 105 to 212 miles, viz. 8 males (33*3 per cent.), with a range of from 110 to 212 miles, 

 and a mean of 154 '4 miles, and 5 females (17*8 per cent.), with a range of from 105 

 to 161 miles, and an average of 137| miles. All the fish were found to the north- 

 wards, 8 of them in the Moray Firth, 1 at Orkney, 1 at Fair Isle, 2 off Rattray 

 Head, and 1 far offshore, east from Aberdeenshire. With two exceptions, all the fish 

 had been at hberty for periods exceeding a year, and up to 748, 861, 892, and 1306 

 days. None of the fish from this experiment was recaptured on the north or the 

 west coast of Scotland. 



The number recaptured within the Firth of Forth was 13, or 23'6 per cent., 

 4 (16'6 per cent.) being males, 8 (27*6 per cent.) females, and 1 of undistinguished 

 sex. Forty-two, or 76*3 per cent., were recaptured outside the Firth, 31, or 56"3 

 per cent., to the south of Kinnaird Head, 8, or 14-5 per cent., in the Moray Firth, 

 and 3, or 5'4 per cent., farther north. The particulars are given in the following 

 table : — 



Males. — Of the 24 males recaptured, the condition of the testes was ascertained 

 in 19 cases. 



None was described as " spawning," but 2 were "ripe," both caught in March 

 1912, after 391 and 400 days, both in the Moray Firth, 1 to the west of Kinnaird 

 Head, at a distance of 126 miles, and ti\e other oft' the Dornoch Firth, at a distance 

 of 174 miles ; the fish measured respectively 35-40-5 cm., and 32-5-37 cm., and the 

 mean rate of movement per 10 days was 3-2 and 4-3 miles. 



One male, of 35-5-40 cm. was described as " spent " ; it was taken oft' Banff 

 in the Moray Firth, at a distance of 136 miles, in February 1913, after 748 days, the 

 mean rate of movement being 1*78 miles per 10 days. Another male, of 33-37-8 

 cm., caught in March 1912, after 413 days, off the Aberdeenshire coast, was described 

 as " spent " or " immature-" 



Three males were " nearly ripe," all caught to the north-east, oft' the coast of 

 Aberdeen, at distances of from 57 to 84 miles, in the months of February, October, 

 and December, after 376, 263, and 663 days ; all were above the adult size on 

 hberation. 



Two males were described as " fully half -ripe " ; 1 was caught off the coast of 



