50 



Fart III. — Twenty-seventh Annual Report 

 Herrings from the Clyde. 



The Weight of the Herring. 



All the herrings were not weighed. The Clyde herrings that were 

 weighed numbered 2900. The average weight at each centimetre of lengtli 

 of these fishes is shown in the appended Tables. 



A considerable number of herrings fiom the West Coast and East Coast 

 have also been weighed. The weights of these are included in the range of 

 weight given in the table for each month. 



In the case of the Clj'de specimens, the Winter Spents are separated 

 from the other herrings (viz.. Immature, Summer Spawning, and Full 

 Winter Herrings) for the months February to June. 



The herrings all over are heaviest in the Clyde from July onwards to the 

 end of the year. In January they are losing weight, but they stili show a 

 good average. They lose more in February and March. During these 

 two months a large proportion of the herrings in the samples from the 

 Clyde were Winter Spents. Herrings which have spawned recently are in 

 poor condition, and weigh much less than the other herrings. The Spents, 

 however, rapidly improve in quality during the spring and summer. In 

 June they showed a higher average weight than the other herrings accom- 

 panying them. 



The weights of oei-tain East Coast herrings, viz.. Summer Full Herrings 

 and Summer Spents, are added for the months of August and September 

 for the purpose of comparison with the herrings of the Clyde. The Summer 

 Spents do not appear to be so ■ emaciated as some of the Winter Spents 



