■^82 



In February 1913, 3 females and a male were taken, the male 9 miles to the 

 north and west, 2 of the females to the south and west, to near Tarbet Ness, 31 and 

 39 jniles distant ; the remaining female was recaptured 11 miles W.S.W. of Cape 

 Wrath, 106 miles to the north and west. Three males and a female were recovered 

 in March 1913, 1 of the males north-east of Tarbet Ness, 15J miles to the south and 

 west, another in the Dornoch Firth, 36| miles to the south and west, the third 21 

 miles to the north and east, off Noss Head, while the female was taken off Tarbet 

 Ness, 22 miles to the south and west. In May, a male was got north-east of 

 Kinnaird Head, at a distance of 39 miles to the south and east. The last fish of the 

 experiment to be recaptured was a male which was landed at Altona by a German 

 trawler, and said to have been caught to the south-east of Great Fisher Bank, about 

 Lat. 56° 52' N. ; Long. 4° 34' E., or some 257 miles to the south and east of the 

 station of liberation ; it is, however, not improbable that the fish was taken in the 

 Moray Firth, since no less than 20 of the recaptures from this experiment were 

 landed at foreign ports, the foreierri trawlers being at libertv to fish in the Moray 

 Firth. 



Distances travelled — 10 miles and under. — Sixteen, or 32'6 per cent., were recap- 

 tured at distances of from 2h to 10 miles, 8 males (38' 1 per cent.), with an average 

 of 5"7 miles, and 7 females (26'9 per cent.), with an average pf 5"8 miles. Five of the 

 males were taken to the north and west, 3 males to the south and west, 5 females 

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



10 to 20 miles. — Four fish, or 8"2 per cent., were recaptured at distances of from 

 13 to 15| miles. All were males (19 per cent.), 2 being taken to the north and east, 

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



Thus, 20 fish, or 40*8 per cent., were taken at distances under 20 miles, 12 

 males (57'1 per cent.), with an average of 8*5 miles, and 7 females (26-9 per cent.), 

 with an average of 5*8 miles. 



20 to 50 7niies. — Tvv'enty-one, or 42-9 per cent., were got at distances of from 20 

 to 47 miles, viz. 6 males (28-6 per cent.), with an average of 32-6 miles, and 15 

 feiiiales (57 7 per cent.), with an average of 32*7 miles. Two of the males and 2 

 of the females were found to the sonth and east ; 2 of the males and 6 of the females 

 to the south and west ; 1 male and 7 females to the north and east, and 1 male to the 

 west. 



50 to 100 miles. — Six fish, or 12-2 per cent., were taken at distances of from 52 

 to 89i miles, 3 males (14*3 per cent.), with an average of 70"3 miles, and 3 females 

 (11-5 per cent.), with an average of 68-2 miles. One of the males was taken on the 

 north coast, 1 off Gape Wrath, and the third off Auskerry ; 1 female was taken off 

 Auskerry, 1 off Start Point, Orkneys, and the third far offshore, to the eastward. 



Over 100 miles. — Two fish, or 4-1 per cent., were recaptured at distances over 

 100 miles, 1 female W.S.W, of Gape Wrath, and a fish of unknown sex, represented 

 to have been got by a Germa)! trawler near the Great Fisher Bank. 



Maturity. 



Males. — The condition of the testes was recorded for only 9 of the 24 males 

 recaptured. 0)ie was described as " spawning " ; it was taken in February 1913, 

 9 miles to the north and west. Three were said to be " ripe " ; 2 were taken in 

 February 1912, 1, 5 miles to the north and west, and the other 10 miles to the south 

 and west ; the third was recaptured in March 1912, 23 miles to the westward. Two 

 were " spent," 1 taken in March 1913, 15-J- miles to the south and west, and 1 in 

 Mav 1913, 39| miles to the south and east. One, cuught in February 1912, 5 miles 

 to the north and west, was described as " three-quarters ripe." 



Females. — The condition of the ovaries was recorded in 10 of the 30 recaptured. 

 One was " spawning " ; it was found in February 1913, 31 miles to the south and 

 west, off Tarbet Ness. Two were " ripe," 1 taken in February 1913, 39 miles to 

 the south and west, near Tarbet Ness, the other in March 1912, 31 miles to the 

 north and east, off the Pentland Skerries. Three were described as " nearly 

 ripe," 1 taken in November 1911, 24 miles to the north and east, another in Novem- 

 ber 1912, off Start Point, Orkney, 70 miles to the north and east, the third in 

 February 1913, near Cape Wrath, 06 miles to the north and west. 



