125 



see that just the same results are obtained as when they are all 

 combined, though the data are, of course, fewer in number. 

 The fact that, year after year, we get the same general results 

 leads us to attach the greater importance to the summaries 

 with w^hich w^e have so far dealt. 



Something must be said about the recaptures reported 

 in the years following those of liberation. The marked plaice 

 may be recaptured even after three years, but in very small 

 numbers, of course. Now all those taken during the months 

 January, February, March, and April in the year following 

 that of liberation have been put on a separate chart (not 

 reproduced here). There are three main regions in which the 

 recaptures occur : (1) Eound about the " area of liberation," 

 and in Morecambe Bay, the Mersey, and Dee; (2) On the 

 " Shoals," that is, N.E. from Isle of Man, and (3) In St. 

 George's Channel. None were taken off the Anglesey and 

 Carnarvon coasts — an interesting result to which we refer 

 presently. The fish taken on the Lancashire coast are all 

 small (the extreme lengths are 20 to 26 cms.) ; those taken 

 off Ramsey Bay are larger (24 to 33 cms.), and those taken 

 in St. George's Channel are also large (25 to 32 cms.). In 

 January to April, that is, during the winter months, the 

 migrations that were described as occurring in December to 

 January still continue : the small fish are returning to the 

 nursery ground and the larger ones are migTating offshore. 



If, further, the recaptures reported during the months 

 May to September and then from October to December in the 

 year following that of liberation be considered, we see that 

 the results of the months immediately following those of 

 liberation are repeated. The plaice recaptured are all a year 

 older, and a few cms. longer, of course ; but the offshore 

 migration in the summer, the retrograde one in the autumn, 

 and the continued offshore migration to N.W. and S.W, are 

 all to be traced. 



