of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 71 
July ;* while Williamson procured the eggs in small numbers in 
Loch Fyne on 14th May, 9th and 10th June, and 6th July, but found 
none in April.t Ripe females have been procured by myself at the 
end of June at Dunbar, and, as above described, in Aberdeen Bay at 
the beginning and end of July. A female, 102 mm. in length, was 
approaching ripeness on 18th June, in the Dornoch Firth, the ovarian 
eggs measuring 0°5 mm. In the Solway, on 24th May, females of 
94,95, 98, and 117 mm. were approaching ripeness, and males from 
82 mm. to 102 mm. were in a similar condition. It is thus probable 
that the spawning takes place mostly in June and July. The 
occurrence of floating eggs in our waters in April is probably 
exceptional. 
Information bearing upon the rate of growth of the lesser weever is 
not extensive. Brook found that hatching occurred in from nine to 
eleven days. A specimen measuring 15 mm. was taken by the 
“ Garland” probably in autumn, but the date is uncertain. On 18th 
June an example, 33 mm. (1,3; inches) in length, was taken in the 
Dornoch Firth by the “ Garland,” and M‘Intosh mentions another 
measuring 45 mm. (1? inches) caught in July. These specimens were 
doubtless about one year old. The next smallest which has come under 
my observation was a female that measured 63 mm. (23 inches), and 
was taken in the Solway on 30th April. It is fairly certain, I think, 
that this was not a fish of the preceding year, but was approaching two 
years of age. Apart from various other considerations, the fact that 
the lesser weever does not reach the same size in the Solway as on the 
East Coast—a circumstance, as I have elsewhere shown, which is also 
true of the plaice and the common dab, and in the Clyde of the long 
rough dab$—while the smaller specimens were got later on the East 
Coast, goes against the supposition. The specimens next in size from 
the Solway were a female measuring 71 mm. on 21st September, one 
measuring 74 mm. on 30th April, and two males on 26th October, one 
measuring 70 mm. and the other 72 mm. As already stated, no ripe 
individuals were procured from the Solway, but on 24th April the female 
of 63 mm. (24 inches) alluded to above had eggs a few of which 
measured 0°11 mm.; another, of 74 mm., had eggs up to 0°13 mm. ; one 
of 106 mm., eggs up to 0:13 mm. ; while in one of 113 mm. and one of 
112 mm., the largest eggs measured 015 mm. On 24th May, ina 
female of 117 mm., the eggs measured 0°33 mm., and in one of 98 
mm. nearly the same; two of 94 and 95 mm. were approaching ripe- 
ness. It is therefore probable that these individuals would have 
spawned in the ensuing season, when some of them would be under or 
little over 80 mm. in length. 
In Aberdeen Bay, as stated above, the smallest ripe female measured 
110 mm., and the smallest ripe male 91 mm. 
I give below a Table in which the specimens obtained at different 
times are grouped in three-millimetre groups. The difference in size 
between the Aberdeen Bay and Solway Firth is obvious, and in 
several instances at least three annual groups appear to be represented. 
While it is not possible to fix definite limits to the various series, the 
probability is that the males reach maturity when two and the females 
when three years of age :— 
* Rep. of Council, Roy. Dubl. Soc., for 1891, p. 246; Sct. Trans. Roy. Dubl. Soc., iv. 
ser. ii., p. 437. 
+ Seventeenth Ann. Rep., Pari r22., p- 83. 
+ Ninth Ann. Rep., Part II., p. 325. 
§ Twentieth Ann. Rep., Part II1., pp. 346, 371, 385. 
