213 



and west ; they were taken off the mouth of the Firth of Forth, except one got in the 

 offshore waters, more to the east. 



Over 100 tniles. — Only 1 fish, a female, was recaptured over 100 miles ; it was 

 taken off Noss Head, Moray Firth, at a distance of 109 miles to the north and west. 



Maturity. 



Males. — The condition of the testes was ascertained in 28 of the 30 males 

 recaptured. 



One was described as " spawning " ; it was caught 12 miles to the north and 

 west, in May 1914. 



Four were " ripe " ; 2 were taken 9 miles and 11 miles respectively to the north 

 and west, in April 1914, and June 1913 ; 2 were found to the south and west, at 

 distances of 21 and 52 miles, in February 1914 and March 1914. 



Four were described as " spent," all taken to the south and west, at distances of 

 28, 40, 34, and 51| miles repectively, in June 1913. Mav 1914, May 1914. and 

 July 1913. 



Six were " nearly ripe," 4 taken to the north and west, at distances of 10, 13|, 

 13, and 30 miles respectively, in January 1914, December 1913, December 1914, 

 and December 1915 ; 2 were taken to the south and west, at 62 miles, in January 

 1914, and at 47 miles in November 1914. 



Among the adult males described as " immature," 1, of 29"5-36-l cm., was caught 

 34 miles to the north and west, on 23rd April 1914. 



Females. — The condition of the ovaries was recorded for 29 of the the 35 females 

 recaptured. 



Two were " spawning," 1 taken in February 1914, 8 miles to the north and west, 

 and 1 in March 1914, 21 miles to the south and west. 



One was " nearly ripe " ; it was taken in January 1914, 10 miles to the north 

 and west. 



Seven were described as " spent " ; 2 of them were got to the north and west, 

 at distances of 9 and 19 miles in February 1915 (after 636 days), and June 1913 

 respectively ; 1 went to the north and east for 11 miles, being taken in June 1913 ; 

 4 were recovered to the south and west, at distances of 30-|-, 36, 27|, and 24 miles, in 

 June 1913, April 1914, Juno 1913, and August 1913 respectively. 



Three were said to be " three-quarters ripe " ; 1 went to the north and west for 

 20 miles, being caught in November 1913, the other 2 to the south and west, at 

 distances of 46 and 16 miles, in October 1914 and December 1913 respectively. 



Among the 11 of adult size, which were described as " immature," one was taken 

 on 8th May 1914, at a distance of 41 miles to the south and west ; it measured 

 38-5-42-5 cm. 



EXPERIMENT VIII. 



\Mh November 1913. 



One hundred fishes were marked and liberated in this experiment, namely. 

 49 males and 51 females. The males ranged in size from 28-5 to 48*5 cm., and 8 

 of them were under the adult size when liberated. The females measured from 

 26*5 to 51*5 cm., and 21 were under adult size. 



The numbers Uberated and recaptured are shown, arranged in 5-cm. groups, in 

 the follownna table : — 



The fish used in this experiment were taken by the " Goldseeker " in Burghead 

 Bay, Moray Firth, on the 11th November 1913, before 3 p.m., and they were Uber- 

 ated on the 13th at 4a.m., the fish meanwhile being kept in tubs of running water. 



