198 



Fart III. — Twenty -second Annual Report 



seventeen fishes, measuring from 114mm. to 132mm.; the average size 

 was 124'7mm., the mean 123mm., and the maximum ordinate between 12 

 and 12-5cm. The second series comprised thirty-seven fishes, ranging 

 from 142mm. to 184mtn. ; the arithmetic average size was 160 '8, the 

 mean 163mm., and the maximum ordinate 15"5cm. 



The particulars in regard to the specimens talcen ofi Aberdeen may be 

 summed up in the following Table, which also includes a number caught 

 in the same locality by the Garland in October and November of the 

 previous year : — 



The hauls on 9th November 1900, and 10th September 1901, were 

 taken in Aberdeen Bay in about ten fathoms ; all the others in 1900 in 

 deeper water, from thirty-three to sixty fathoms up to ten miles from 

 shore. 



Beginning with the younger fishes, the one taken at the end of June, 

 measuring 27mm, (lyV inch), was doubtless about two or three months 

 old, and derived from the spawning in the previous spring. Ttiis series 

 was not represented in the July collection, but in August the three 

 measuring 67, 81, and 83mm. were no doubt large members of this group ; 

 the average size at this period is probably under what is given in the 

 Table. On 10th September, in Aberdeen Bay, the eight specimens of 

 this series taken had an average length of 85'7mm. ; and three months 

 later, on 16th December, the average size of seventeen was 124-7mm. 

 This would indicate an increment of 39mm. in the period named, and 

 47"7mm. from 21st August, 117 days earlier, or 4-08mm. per ten days, 

 which is too large. 



In the Firth of Clyde a few collections were also obtained, but the 

 numbers were small. On 15th July, 1899, one was taken in a few 

 fathoms of water in Machray Bay, Arran ; it measured 85mm. On 4th 

 October, 1901, thirty-six were caught in the shrimp-net of the Garland 

 between Rhuad Point and Ailsa Craig. They ranged in size from 63mm. 

 ■"to 97mm.; the arithmetical average size was 83'5mm., and the mean 

 80mm., and they no doubt belonged to the same year's spawning. 



In the Moray Firth the Norway Pout is fairly common in the deeper 

 water, and some collections were in sufficient numbers to enable curves 

 of their measurements to be drawn. On 4th July, 1901, a small collec- 

 tion, consisting of sixteen specimens, was procured in fifty fathoms a few 



