231 



from 55 to 99 miles, viz. 13 males (26 per cent.), with an average of 67*7 miles, and 

 15 females (21 '4 per cent.), with a mean of 77-1 miles. Eleven of the males and 

 12 of the females were taken to the south and west, 1 male to the north and west, 

 and 1 to the north and east, and 3 females to the north and east. 



Over 100 mi7es.— Twenty-five, or 20-3 per cent., were recaptured at distances 

 of from 103 to 315 miles, viz. 16 males (32 per cent.), with an average of 145 miles, 

 8 females (11 "4 per cent.), with a mean of 137 "4 miles, and 1 of unknown sex, which 

 was recaptured 115 miles to the south and west. Of the males, 15 were taken to 

 the south and west, and 1 to the south and east, while 7 of the females were taken 

 to the south and west, and 1 to the north and east. 



Maturity. 



Males. — The condition of the testes was ascertained in 34 of the 51 males 

 recaptured. None was " spawning," but 10 were described as " ripe," 3 caught 

 in March 1911, to the south and west, 1 east of the Orkneys, at a distance of 44 

 miles, another on the north coast, off Strathie Point, at 110 miles, and the third 

 at Banff, on the south shore of the Moray Firth, at 117 miles. Two were recaptured 

 in April 1911, 1, 21 miles to the south and west, and the other on the north coast, 

 at Loch ICrribol, 130 miles to the south and west. Three were recaptured in June 



1911, 1 east of the Orkneys, at 50 miles to the south and west, the second at Fetlar, 

 65 miles to the north and east, and the third off the north coast, near Sule Skerry, 

 at a distance of 103 miles to the south and west. In July 1912, a " ripe " male 

 was taken 15 miles to the south and west, and in April 1912, another near Foula, 

 45 miles to the north and west. Seven w^ere described as " nearly ripe," 4 taken 

 in January 1911, one 61 miles to the north and west, off Noup Head, 1 near the 

 Pentland Skerries, 72 miles to the south and west, a third 89 miles to the south 

 and west, and the fourth off Knock Head, 116 miles to the south and west. In 

 December 1910, 1 was caught off Aberdeen, 142 miles to the south and west, and 

 in October 1911, another 36 miles to the north and west, at the Shetlands ; the 

 last was recovered in January 1912, 19 miles to the south and west. Six were 

 described as "spent," all taken to the south and west, 1 in March 1911, on the 

 north coast, at Rabbit Islands, at 122 miles ; 1 in April 1911, near Stack Skerry, 

 at 110 miles ; 3 in June, 2 east of the Orkneys, at 40 and 44 miles ; the third at 

 Scourie Bank, south-west of Cape Wrath, at 168 miles ; another was taken in May 



1912, east of the Orkneys, at a distance of 50 miles. 



Females. — In 63 of the 77 recaptured, the condition of the ovaries was recorded. 

 None was described as " spawning," and only 1 as " ripe," which was taken in 

 June 1911, 18 miles to the south and west. Three were "nearly ripe," 1 found 

 in October 1910, 80 miles to the south and west, another in January 1911, 18 miles 

 to the south and west, and the third in December 1913, after 1197 days, 205 miles 

 to the south and v/est. Twelve were described as " spent " ; 2 M^ere recaptured 

 in February 1911, 1 east of the Orkneys, 46 miles to the south and west, and the 

 other near Wick, 90 miles to the south and west ; 1 was recaptured in March 1911, 

 on the north coast, 112 miles to the south and west, and 1 in May 1911, also on the 

 north coast, at a distance of 112 miles. One was taken in June 1911, 39 miles to 

 the south and west, and 1 in July, 12 miles to the north and west. In April 1912, 

 1 was recaptured near the Butt of Lewis, 182 miles to the south and west ; in May 

 1912, 1, 44 miles to the north and west ; in June 1912, 1 south-east of Noss 

 Head, 85 miles to the south and west ; in January 1913, a " spent " female was 

 recaptured on the north coast, 99 miles to the south and west ; in March 1913, 

 1 east of the Orkneys, at 45 miles, and in June, after 1004 days, another on the 

 north coast, at a distance of 117 iniles. 



Among females under adult size on recapture (38 cm.) 1, which measured 38- 

 37-9 cm., was recovered in February 1911, after 163 days, at Banff, 116 miles to 

 the south and vfest, and was described as " about to spawn " ; another, measuring 

 36-5-36-6 cm., was taken in February 1911, 7 miles to the north and west, and 

 was described as " nearly ripe." 



Among those fish of adult size, whose reproductive organs were described as 

 "immature," and which were captured during the spawning season, were the 

 following : — Two males, 1 measuring 37-38"3 cm., caught in January 1911, at 



