174 Part III. — Twenty-second Annual Report 



ones above described, was made up of another series of fifty-four, ranging 

 from 68 to 107mm. and with an average size of 8r5mm. There was 

 also one sprat at 116mm., which appeared to belong to another series. 

 In a haul of the small-meshed net made off Burghead Bay in the Moray 

 Firth in thirty fathoms of water on 1st April seventy-four sprats were 

 caught, two of which measured 101 and 104mtn., and the others from 108 

 to 126mni., the average size being 118"lmm. This collection is of special 

 interest from the fact that the sprats were spawning, as referred to below. 

 In May there was only one collection of sprats and it was from the 

 Firth of Forth, where a number were taken on the ninth of the month at 

 Station III. by means of the small-meshed net around the cod-end of the 

 GarlaniVs trawl. There were two small ones, one measuring 52mm. and 

 the other 62mm. and it appears that these belong to the group of smallest 

 sprats, most of which were able to escape through the meshes of the net, 

 that is, the group about one year old. The next series was well represented, 

 the sprats numbering 554, and ranging in size from 68 to 110mm. The 

 average size was 83 •4mm. Thirteen larger fishes pertained to an older 

 group, measuring from 113 to 134mm., and having an average of 120"9mm. 

 Two hauls were made on 1st June, one in the Cromarty Firth and the 

 other at Aberdeen. At Cromarty the sprats were found to be spawning, 

 and with the exception of one, 124mm. in length, they seemed all to 

 belong to the same scries. The range of size was from 73 to 110mm., 

 the average being 92-9mm. 



In the collection from Aberdeen Bay the corresponding series was 

 represented by fifty-seven fish measuring from 86 to 109mm., the average 

 length being 96-5mm., and there was a larger one at 116mm. 



On the 28th of the month eighty-one were taken at Lunan Bay near 

 Montrose, further down the coast, and they all belonged to the same 

 group, the range of sizes being from 86 to 117min., with an average of 

 104-2mm. 



When the measurements of all the sprats obtained in June are combined 

 the following result is obtained. The first is represented by the two fishes 

 from the Forth, 52 and 62mm. ; the second consists of 689 sprats, 

 ranging in size from 68 to 117mm. with an average of 94-4mm. ; and the 

 third by two fishes with an average of 120mm, 



From the end of June to the middle of October no collections were 

 procured with the exception of the twenty- one small ones got in the tow- 

 nets on 18th and 20th September. 



On the 18th and 20th October a number were taken in Aberdeen Bay. 

 Four of these measured from 31 to 45mm. and have been already referred 

 to ; of the others, fifteen, ranging in size from 82 to 94mm., had an average 

 size of 86-8mm., and ninety-two ranged from 107 to 130mm., the average 

 being 114"5mm. On the 22nd, forty-three were caught in the Dornoch 

 Firth, one measuring 54mm. belonging to the early group; sixteen varied 

 from 65 to 96mm., with an average of 81 ^mm., and twenty-six from 100 

 to 124 ram,, the average being 114-6. These October series when combined 

 give three groups, one from 31 to 54mm., with an average of 41-4mm., one 

 from 65 to 96mm., with an average of 84'lmm., and a third from 100 to 

 130mm., with an average of 114"5mm. The number of fishes in the first 

 was five, in the second thirty-one, and in the third 118. It may be here 

 said that the average of the second series is higher than it ought to be, 

 but the number of fishes in it is small. 



In November a collection was obtained in the Dornoch Firth, all three 

 series being represented. The first consisted of thirty-three fishes 

 measuring from 45 to 61mm., with an average of 55-6nim. The second 

 series was predominant, the number of sprats measured being 1650. 

 They ranged in sizes from 62 to 98mm., with an average of 75-5mm 



