el 
From the tables already published*), it will be seen that a corresponding agreement 
is noticeable between the different samples for the other age classes, and for the compo- 
sition, in point of age, of the large herring. Only a single example need be mentioned 
here, viz, the samples of large herring examined in 1907. These were, in part, extre- 
mely small, down to only 23 in one sample. In spite of this however, the rich year 
class 1899 already mentioned was found to present the following percentages: 30.8, 
39.2, 27.9, 44, 35.3, 43.0, 36.0, 40.0, 48.0, 42.8, 23.7, 33.7, 35.5, Two of these samples 
contained over 100 individuals, these showed percentages of 36.0 and 35.5. 
From the foregoing, it would appear legitimate to draw the following conclusions: 
While the agreement between the single samples of fat herring from the same year 
was, on the whole, generally good, great variations occurred here and there, owing to 
Mo 0 OC G CG D CG @ &® Of go a 
Fig. 21. Spring herring samples 1913. Composition in point of age. 
the fact that the admixture of small herring in the samples was inconstant, the indi- 
vidual year classes apparently moving sometimes in separate shoals, at others in mixed 
shoals. In spite of this, however, it proved possible, by observation of the fat herring 
samples above, to deduce the probability of that regularity which the study of the sam- 
ples of large and spring herring so strongly confirms. In other words, the great variation 
in composition from year to year appears to be due to the presence of certain rich year 
classes; in the case of the samples examined, the year class 1904. As regards the 
large and spring herring, the greatest agreement is noticeable between the different 
samples examined in the same year. The mature, full grown fish thus appear to be 
so fairly mixed, that examination of even few and small samples suffices to give a 
correct view of the composition of the stock with regard to age in a certain year. 
*) Vide Publ. de Circ. No. 61 pp. 32—34, Copenhagen 1911. 
