92 



Over 100 miles. — No less tlian 18 lish, or 26-9 per cent., were got at distances 

 exceeding 100 miles from the })lace of liberation, 12 being taken v/ithin tlie Moray 

 Firtli, 3 in the neighbourhood of Fair Isle, 2 at Orkney, and 1 at Shetland, all north- 

 ward of the station. Of these, 10 were males and 8 females. The males had 

 migrated distances of from 106 to 215 iniles, and the females for distances of from 

 112 to 184 miles, the average being 136 miles. 



The rate of movement of the fish which went north-east, especially for long 

 distances, was somewhat remarkable in this experiment. In the case of the males, 

 it ranged from 1-9 to 38 miles per 10 days. A few cases may be mentioned. One 

 male migrated 76 miles northwards in 20 days, and was taken ofE Peterhead ; 

 another was found near Fair Isle, at a distance of 194 miles, after 110 days ; a 

 third had migrated 139 miles in 94 days ; a fourth, 215 miles in 114 days, and so on. 

 Among the females, the rate of movement was not, as a rule, quite so rapid ; the 

 rate per 10 days ranged up to 21 '3 miles, and in one case it was even 5*6 miles per 

 day ; this fish, a large female, was caught on the 8th December, off Aberdeen, at a 

 distance of 56 miles, and was " nearly ripe." Another female, which was captured 

 " spent," in the Moray Firth, had travelled 112 miles in 112 days ; another female 

 had reached the same locality in 85 days, and it also was " spent " ; and a third, 

 also found in the same locality, " nearly ripe," had travelled 113 miles in 53 days. . 



Maturity. 



The condition of the reproductive organs was ascertained in 24 of the males. 

 Five were " ripe " or " spawning." Two of these were captured in the Moray 

 Firth in the following February and March, after 89 and 94 days respectively, 

 having made the journey at the average rate of 12'7 and 14*8 miles per 10 days. A 

 third was taken north of Kinnaird Head, in June, the 106 miles having been made 

 at the mean rate of 5*5 miles per 10 days ; a fourth was recaptured in February, 

 north-east of Aberdeen, the rate of travel having been 6-1 miles per 10 days. The 

 fifth was the fish which had been at liberty for over 5 years, and was captured on 

 2nd February 1916 at an unknown locality. 



Seven of the males were " nearly ripe." Four were recaptured to the north, 

 1 in the Moray Firth in February 1912, 157 miles distant, having migrated at a 

 mean rate per 10 days of 3*6 miles ; 1 was taken north-east of Aberdeen on 18th 

 January 1911, after 51 days, the rate of travel being 11-4 miles; another was 

 caught off Tod Head in January 1911, having moved 36 miles at the mean rate of 

 8'2 miles per 10 days ; the fourth was taken in October 1911, off Bervie, and had 

 travelled tlie 30 miles at the rate of -9 mile. Two of the " nearly ripe " males had 

 gone short distances to the south and west ; 1, taken in December 1912, after 754 

 days, only 4 miles distant, had gone at the rate of -05 mile per 10 days ; the other 

 was found 3J miles distant, in November, after 347 days, the mean rate being "1 

 mile. The seventh fish was recaptured 13 miles to the westwards, off Fifeness, 

 in December 1910, after 19 days, the mean rate being 6-8 miles. 



Two of the males appear to have been " spent," and were both recaptured to 

 the north of the station. One, of 37 cm., was caught on 22nd February, after 86 

 days, 36 miles distant, the rate of movement having been 4*2 miles ; it was described 

 as " spent " or " immature " ; the other fish was recaptured on 22nd March 1911, 

 near Wlialigoe, Shetland, having migrated the 215 miles in 114 days, or at the rate 

 of 18-9 miles per 10 days. 



Of 8 males of adult size with " innnature " reproductive organs, 5 were 

 recaptured to the north, 1 in February 1911, after 81 days, north-east of Aberdeen, 

 the rate of movement being 7-5 miles ; the second was taken_ in April, 25 miles 

 distant, north-east of May Isle, the rate in this case being 1*9 miles ; the third was 

 got near Fair Isle, in March 1911, having travelled 194 miles in 110 days, or at the 

 rate of 17-6 miles ; the fourth was recaptured off Orkney in October 1912, after 

 684 days, the rate being 1-9 miles ; and the fifth was not found until September 

 1913, after 1027 days, off Fair Isle, the rate of progression being 1-8 miles. Two of 

 these males were recaptured south and east, at distances of 5 and 7 miles, 1 in 

 January 1911, the rate being 1-2 miles, and the other in December 1910, after 10 

 days, the rate being 7 miles. The eighth fish was caught after 8 days, 15 miles 

 to the south and west, off St. Abb's Head, the rate of movement being 18"7 miles. 





