243 



males aJid 8 of tlio females were fomid to the south and west, 2 of tlie males and 3 

 of the females to the north and west. 



50 to 100 miles. — Fifteeji fish, or 34-9 per cent., were recaptured at distances of 

 from 52 to 99 miles, 1 male 90 miles to the south and west, and fourteen females 

 (41-2 per cent.), with an average of 74 miles. Ten were found to the south and 

 west, 2 to the north and west, and 2 to the south and east. 



Over 100 milps. — Seven fish, or lfi-3 per cent., were recaptured at distances 

 of from 101 to 215 miles (on the supposition that 1 of the fish was really taken on 

 the Great Fisher Bank, and not in the Moray Firth). Four were males (44-4 per 

 cent.), with an average of 125-7 miles, and 3 (8-8 per cent.) were females, with an 

 average of 151 miles. Three of the males and 2 of the females Avere found to the 

 south and west, ] of the males to the north and west, and 1 of the females to the 

 south and east. 



Maturity. 



Males. — The conditioJi of the testes was ascertained in 6 of the 11 recaptured. 

 Two were " spawning " ; 1 was taken in Maich 1913, 45 miles to the south and 

 west, east of the OrkiTeys ; the other in March 1914, 103 miles to the south and 

 west, off Berriedale Ness, in the Moray Firth. One was " nearly ripe " ; it was 

 captured in December 1913, off the north coast, near Sule Skerry, 101 miles to the 

 westward. 



Females. — The condition of the ovaries was recorded for 28 of the 35 recaptured. 

 One was " spawning " ; it was taken to the east of the Orkneys, in February 1913, 

 at a distance of 39 miles to the south and west. Five were "nearly ripe " ; 1, 

 taken in October 1912, 14 miles to the north and west ; another, in November 



1912, 8 miles to the north and west; the third, in September 1912, to the north 

 of Kinnaird Head, 52 miles to the south and west ; the fourth, in November 1912, 

 11 miles to the north and west ; and the fifth, in January 1914, 12 miles to the 

 northward. One was " three-quarters ripe " ; it was taken in November 1913 11 

 miles to the south and east. Seven were described as " spent " ; 1, taken in 

 February 1913, 37 miles to the south and west, east of the Orkneys ; another 

 in April 1913, 39 miles to the north and west, near Start Point, Orknev ; the third, 

 in May 1913, 10 miles to the north and west ; the fourth, in June 1913, 44 miles' 

 to the south and west, east of the Orkneys ; the fifth, in .July 1913, 43 miles to the 

 south and west, east of the Orkneys ; the sixth, in March 1914, south-east of Noss 

 Head, 75 miles to the south and west ; and the last, in May 1914, near Foula, 52 

 miles to the north and west. 



Among the adult fish whose ovaries were "immature " was 1 taken in March 



1913, 42 miles to the south and west, east of the Orkneys ; it measured 40-41-4 cm. 



EXPERIMENT VIII. 



22nd November 1912. 



In the last experiment near Fair Isle, 100 plaice were marked and liberated, at 

 59° 20' N. ; 1° 3' W., 42 males, 56 females, and 2 whose sexes v/ere not ascertained. 

 The sizes of the males ranged from 25 to 43 cm., and 2 were under adult size on 

 hberation ; the females measured from 32-5 to 48-5 cm., and 38 were below adult 

 size on liberation. 



The numbers hberated and recaptured, arranged in 5-cm. groups, were as 

 follows : — 



F.Lib. . 

 F Recap. 



M. Lib. . 

 M. Recap. 



? Lib. ... — 1 1 — — 2 

 ? Recap. . . — — — — 



The fish used in this experiment were taken by the " C4oldseeker " in the fore- 

 noon of the 21st November, in the Dornoch Firth (Moray Firth). 



