28 Fishery Board for Scotland. 



somewliat similar at the two localities. Were these far advanced in 

 development eggs derived from the same spawning area ? 



Further observations were made at Station VIII. in March 1906, 

 and Station IX was twice visited in the same month. The collections 

 made at the N.W. ends of these trawling stations were comparatively 

 rich in plaice eggs ; 110 newly spawned eggs were taken at the surface 

 at Station VIII. on the 15th of the month, and 94 similar eggs at 

 Station IX. on the 8th. The percentages of eggs in the different 

 developmental stages were also very similar, as over 50 per cent, 

 having the embryo well developed. The eggs of the 8th were, how- 

 ever, slightly in advance of those of the 15th. This condition is in 

 agreement with what was found on other ofE-shore areas. The obser- 

 vations made on the S.E. end of Station IX. on the 15th give somewhat 

 different results. Here only one newly spawned egg was taken in the 

 surface haul, the other 103 eggs having the embryo quite distinct. This 

 record confirms the statement that the narrow area about 9 to 12 miles 

 off Lossiemouth is not frequented to any great extent by spawning 

 plaice. It is also very clear that the eggs in the later stages of develop- 

 ment in this area are not derived from the Lossiemouth area, for in this 

 month plaice were spawning there in very large numbers. 



Observations were again made at Station IX. on the 14th March 

 1907, and the results agree with those found in other years. The re- 

 latively higher percentage of eggs in the later stages of development 

 may be due to the lateness of the spawning season in 1906-1907. 



The general conclusions regarding Stations VIII. and IX., Moray 

 Firth, are : 



{a) This is a spawning area. Spawning is most intensive towards 



Station 29. 

 (6) Few, if any, plaice spawn in the deep water off Burghead and 



Lossiemouth, 

 (c) The time of maximum spawning is later than at Burghead or 



Dornoch. 

 {d) Numbers of eggs in the later stages of development are carried 



into this area from earlier spawning areas, 

 (e) These early spawned eggs are not derived from the spawning 



areas on the south shore of the Moray Firth. 



(e) Nairn Bay. 



Station II., Moray Firth, which is situated in Nairn Bay, was 

 visited in February 1906, and five plaice eggs were obtained in a surface 

 haul. This isolated observation is of small value. 



(f) Cromarty Firth. 



Although five plaice eggs were taken in a surface haul within the 

 Cromarty Firth, it is not at all probable that plaice spawn there. Four 

 of these eggs had the embryo well advanced, and in all probability they 

 had drifted into the Firth. Extended observations within this area 

 would be of considerable value as a means of adding to our knowledge, 

 not only of the plaice species, but more especially of such species as the 

 flounder and common dab. 



One egg in the " y " stage of development was taken in a surface 

 haul on March 1907 in the Cromarty Firth, and in March 1908 one egg 



