16 



Fishery Board for Scotland. 



The flesh of the fish was swollen as a result of the ^^reservation. 



While some of the measurements are altered to a substantial 

 amount, others are little, or not at all changed. 



The condition compares favourably with the effect of cold-storage. 

 Six mackerel were used to test the effect of freezing the fish. They 

 were frozen and kept in a cold store for twenty-five days. Measure- 

 ments made before and after freezing are detailed in a table, published 

 in the Eighteenth Annual Keport of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 

 Part III., page 300. I have extracted the particulars dealing with 

 certain characters which are comparable in the two series (herring and 

 mackerel), and they are set out in the following table. 



Table showing the alteration in measurement due to preservation in 

 formaline in the case of Herring, and of freezing in cold store 

 . in the case of the Mackerel. 



Taken all over the method of preservation with formahne seems 

 to be about as satisfactory as keeping the fishes in cold store. 



Dr. Fulton suggested that even where the fish is still fresh, a single 

 observer might not, on repeating his measurements, obtain exactly 

 the same results. In order to test this I made two series of measure- 

 ments in one day on three fresh herrings measuring respectively : — 

 25-1 cm. S : 27-35 cm. ? : 29-8 cm. c?. The fishes were in the 

 spawning condition. The results are shown in Table II. They are 

 set out as the actual difference, and as the percentages which the 

 difference bore to the measurement and also to the length of the 

 fish. In the compartments of the Table in which there is no figure, 

 the figure "0 " is to be understood. 



[Table. 



