188 Part III —Twenty-fourth Annual Report 
DornocH FIRTH. 
In the Dornoch Firth some collections of small plaice were also 
obtained, the particulars of the measurements being given in Tables 
[V. and VI. On 7th December, 1904, a haul in from 4 to 9 fathoms 
yielded 182 plaice. The smallest ranged from 59mm. to 98mm. ; there 
were 19 between these sizes. There were also 13 measuring from 
125mm. to 145mm. The remainder measured from 173mm. to 472mm. 
The first group is evidently the fish of the year; the limits of the other 
series are not certain, On 9th February, 1905, another haul with the 
fine-meshed net, in from 54 to 10 fathoms, yielded 355 plaice, ranging in 
length from 5cem, to 16cem., and distinguished into two well-marked 
groups. The first included 283 specimens, measuring from 52mm. to 
99mm. (2;',-32 inches), or it might possibly be 108mm. (42 inches), the 
maximum number being around 7em. (see fig. 44, pl. XII.). The average 
length was computed, on the former limit, at 74mm., or very nearly 
3 inches. If at the larger limit, the average size would be 745mm. 
Grouped in centimetres, the measurements are as follows :— 
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 
si 60) ily 7h 19 6 i 14 21 19 8 1 
The smaller series are obviously fish of the previous spawning, and 
about 10 or 11 months old. 
In the second, older series, comprising 72 plaice nearing the end of 
their second year, the greater number are grouped about 13cm. to 
14cm. (51-52 inches), the mean size being about 13:3cm., or 5} inches, 
and the apparent growth from the previous series amounts to about 
6‘dem. (22 inches); but the representation of the larger fishes may not 
be perfect. 
In another haul on the 31st of March, or about 52 days later, but in a 
different year, viz., 1904, the second series is represented by 29 specimens, — 
ranging from 112mm. to 196mm. (43-7? inches), as follows, in centimetre 
grouping, the mean size being about 14°5em. (52 inches) :— 
9) G10 SH eO. G13 Aye be 6 lS AON 
Lil all gre 728. UNBTA 8h well ce eee 
These may be regarded as two years of age (fig. 4B, pi. XII.). 
The same group is represented in other collections, as given in Table 
VI, but only by a few fishes, viz., in October, November, and December. 
In a haul taken on the 22nd October, 1903, in from 8 to 13 fathoms 
of water, the 363 plaice which were caught were measured. Though the 
small-meshed net was employed, the smallest plaice caught was 164mm.; 
the great bulk of them formed a group between 20cm. and 29cm., with 
the maximum from 23cm. to 26cm. These fish were approaching their 
fourth year. 
ANNAN. 
A few collections of small plaice in April, 1904, were sent to me by 
Mr. George Bryson, Annan, which had been taken by shrimp-net in the 
Solway, on the ordinary shrimping grounds. It will be seen from Table 
IV. that an early series of fish, about one year of age, is represented, 
most distinctly in the collection on the 23rd of the month, and also a 
second series, less distinctly marked off from the third, and again )est 
shown in the collection on the 23rd. They indicate the same feature as 
shown in the previous paper dealing with the growth of the plaice, that 
the rate of increase in the Solway is slow. 
