117 



88 miles. Three went north and east to the coast of Aberdeenshire, and 1 abiiost 

 directly east to the offshore grounds. 



Over 100 miles. — Four (5-6 per cent.), 2 males and 2 females, were taken 

 at over 100 miles, and all to the north. One male was got oft" Buchanness, and 

 the other in the Moray Firth ; 1 of the females was caught in the Moray Firth, 

 and the other at Stronsay, in the Orkneys, 173 miles distant. 



Maturity. 



Male^. — The condition of the reproductive organs was ascertained in each of 

 the 12 males which were of adult size on recapture. Two weie " ripe " ; 1 taken 

 on 18th April 1914, after 772 days, off Buchanness, 109 miles to the north-east, 

 the other caught on 26th December 1912, after 294 days, in the Moray Firth, at 

 a distance of 114 miles. 



Two were " spent " ; 1 was caught on 16th February 1913, after 346 days, 

 off Aberdeen, at a distance of 45 miles, and the other on 1st March 1913, after 

 359 days, in the Firth of Forth, at a distance of 22i miles. 



The other 8 were "immature " ; 2 were taken in March, 1 in April, 1 in May, 

 1 in July, 2 in August, and 1 in September. They had migrated distances of from 

 1 to 18i miles, 4 to the north-west, 3 to the south-west, and 1 to the south-east. 



Females. — The condition of the ovaries was ascertained in 38 of the 43 adult 

 females. Two were "spawning," 1, of 59-8 cm., caught on 14th February 1913, 

 after 344 days, 37 miles to the north and east, ofi Tod Head, and the other, measur- 

 ing 43-3 cm., on 23rd March 1913. after 381 days, at Stronsay, Orkney Islands, 

 173 miles distant from the place of Uberation. 



One was " ripe " ; it was taken on 17tli February 1913, after 347 days, off the 

 coast of Aberdeen, 46 miles to the north and east. 



One was " nearly ripe " on 16th February 1913, and was caught in the same 

 locaUty. 



Four were "spent," viz. 1, measuring 57*5 cm., taken in the Firth of Forth, 

 off Pittenweem, on 23rd March 1914, after 746 days ; 1, of 47-2 cm., got on 13th 

 June 1912, after 98 days, 7 nnles to the north and west ; a third, of 41-3 cm., taken 

 on 27th May 1912, after 81 days, 5 miles to the south and west ; the fourth, measur- 

 ing 61-6 cm., on 17th May 1914, after 801 days, oft Tod Head, 36 miles to the north 

 and east. 



Four were "maturing." They were caught in March, September, November, 

 and December ; 1 in the Firth of Forth, another 96 miles distant to the eastwards, 

 the third 10 miles to the north and west, and the fourth 6 miles to the south 

 and west. 



Twenty-six were " immature." Two were taken in February, 5 in April, 

 8 in May, 3 in June, 2 each in July, August, September, and October. Three 

 had moved considerable distances ; 1, of 38-5 cm., was caught on 15th April 1912, 

 after 39 days, off Aberdeenshire, 86 miles distant ; another, of 48-1 cm., was taken 

 on 4th October 1912, after 211 days, off Rattray Head, a distance of 92 miles ; 

 the third, of 39-9 cm., was caught on 17th April 1912, after 41 days, off Buchan- 

 ness, at a distance of 79 miles. 



EXPERIMENT VII. 



2ith Afril 1912. 



In this experiment 101 fishes were liberated, viz. 27 males, 71 females, and 

 3 whose sex was not determined. The sizes of the males ranged from 32 to 40 cm., 

 and the sizes of the females from 32 to 63 cm. Of the females, 16 measured from 

 31 to 35-5 cm. ; 32 from 36 to 40-5 cm. ; 15 from 41 to 45-5 cm. ; 4 from 46 to 50-5 

 cm. ; 2 from 51 to 55*5 cm. ; and 2 over 61 cm. Of the males, 15 measured from 

 31 to 35-5 cm., and 12 from 36 to 49 cm. Three, whose sex was not ascertained, 

 measured 36, 37, and 38 cm. Only 1 male and 11 females were under the adult 

 size on liberation (33 cm. and 38 cm.). 



The fish for this experiment were caught on Station VI., Firth of Forth (a little 

 offshore, between St. Monans and Pittenweem, in from 12 to 20 fathoms), on 23rd 

 April. They were marked between 4-35 and 6 p.m., and kept in tanks, v.ath a 

 good circulation of water, until 1.30 p.m. next day, when they were hberated. 



The number recaptured was 76, or 752 per cent, of those Uberated, of which 21, 



