50 



None was caught in November, but in December, a male, measuring 35-38'9 

 cm., was taken, after 259 days, off St. Andrews Bay, at a distance of 22 miles ; it 

 was described as " nearly ripe." 



Only 3 fish (10" 7 per cent.) were taken in this quarter. 



Fourth Quarter. — In January 1912, after 310 days, a male, of 33'5-38'3 cm., was 

 caught in the Moray Firth, to the cast of Noss Head, at a distance of 154 miles ; the 

 condition of the testes was not ascertained. 



Three of the fishes were recaptured in February, but the place of capture of 

 1 of them, a male, was not recorded. The other 2 were females ; 1, of 36-41 cm., 

 was taken, after 337 days, off Pittenweem, in the Firth of Forth, at a distance 

 of 5 miles ; it was described as " rather immature " ; the second female was 

 caught, after 332 days, to the east of May Isle, at a distance of 24 miles ; it was 

 " ripe," and measured 37-40*9 cm. 



In March 1912, 2 males were recaptured, but the place of capture of 1 was not 

 ascertained ; the other, measuring 3r5-36"9 cm., was caught, after 352 days, 

 near Pittenweem, at a distance of 5 miles ; it was " immature." 



In this quarter, then, 6 fish were taken, or 20 per cent, of those recovered, 

 but the positions of 2 of them were not ascertained. 



In the 12 months after liberation, 22 marked plaice, or 73*3 per cent, of the 

 total, were recaptured, and the position of recapture was ascertained for 20 of 

 them. Seven of the males (41*2 per cent.), and 5 of the females (45'5 per cent.), 

 or 12 fish in all {42"9 per cent, of those whose position was ascertained) were found 

 within the Firth of Forth ; 1 was recaptured in the Moray Firth, 2 off the coasts 

 of Forfar and Kincardine, and 4 to the east of the Isie of May. 



Of the remaining fish, 4 were recaptured in the remainder of 1912, 2 in 1913, 

 and 2 in 1914. 



A female, caught in May 1912, after 407 days, was taken 46 miles distant, to 

 the east of St. Abb's Head ; it measured 32*5-39'5 cm. 



In Jmie, 2 females were recovered, 1 north-east of the Isle of May, at a distance 

 of 20| miles, after 458 days, and the other, of 30-40*6 cm., farther in the same 

 direction, at a distance of 33J miles. 



The fourth fish taken in 1912 was a female, captured in July, after 472 days, 

 to the south-east of Montrose ; it measured 30-37 cm. 



In March 1913, after 714 days, a male, of 29'5-37-2 cm., and " partly spent," 

 was captured in the Moray Firth, off Clyth Ness, at a distance of 164 miles. 



In April, after 742 days, another male was taken, also in the Moray Firth, off 

 Whitehills, at a distance of 139J miles ; it measured 28*5-36"5 cm., and was " nearly 

 spent." 



In March 1914, after 1082 days, another male was taken in the Moray Firth, 

 to the south of Clyth Ness, at a distance of 168 miles ; it measured 3r5-39"2 cm., 

 and was " spawning." 



The last fish recaptured from this experiment was also a male, which measured 

 34 cm. on Hberation, but the size on recapture was not recorded, nor the condition 

 of the testes ; it was taken in August 1914, after 1247 days, off St. Andrews 

 Bay, 18J miles to the north and east. 



Distances Travelled — Under 10 miles. — Nine of the plaice (32" 1 per cent.) were 

 found at distances not exceeding 10 miles, viz. 6 males (35'3 per cent.), with an 

 average of 5*5 miles, and 3 females (27*2 per cent.) with an average of 5*3 miles. 

 All were found within the Firth of Forth. Three were taken near Pittenweem, 

 at a distance of 5 miles, 2 near St. Monans, at a distance of 4| miles, 2 off Anstruther, 

 at a distance of 6 miles, 1 off" Largo, at a distance of 6 miles, and 1 off Buckhaven, 

 at a distance of 7 miles. 



10 to 20 miles. — Five fishes (17*8 per cent.) were recaptured between 10 and 

 20 miles, 3 males (17*6 per cent.), with an average of 16*3 miles, and 2 females 

 (18*2 per cent.), with an average of 12 miles. Three of these were within the Firth 

 of Forth, a male and a female taken at Pettycur, to the westward, at a distance of 

 13| miles, and a female, in the South Bay, off Cockenzie, at a distance of 12 miles. 

 Two of the fish, both males, were caught off the mouth of the Firth, at 17 and 

 18| miles. 



Under 20 miles. — Thus, 14 fish, or 50 per cent., were taken at distances under 

 20 miles, 9 males (52"9 per cent.), with an average of 9*1 miles, and 5 females (45'4 per 



