COUNCIL — JULY 1905 — APPEND. C 56 
classes, viz. large, large and medium, large, medium and small together, medium 
and small and so on, and the measurements sent in to the Bureau represent all 
these different divisions and not the simple two classes given in the published 
market-statistics. 
This difficulty has for the present been met in the following manner. An 
examination of the samples containing small plaice (which were variously classed 
as II and Ill, II, II and IV or IV), showed that 35cm. was very approximately 
the limit between II and III (IV) i. e. medium and small. Class IL often contains 
plaice below and Class III plaice above this size. Taking 35 em. as the boundary 
line, therefore, the measurements of plaice below that were taken to represent the 
class “small” in the published statistics, and the measurements above 35cm. the 
class “large and medium”. From the percentages at the different sizes shown by 
the measurements, the quantities of small plaice under 20 and 26 cm. have been 
calculated, Bremerhaven being taken with Geestemünde. 
In the statistics of both Geestemünde and Bremerhaven, a certain amount 
of plaice from Iceland is included. As the Icelandic plaice are on the whole of 
the larger class, their inclusion makes the calculated proportions of the small 
slightly less than they would otherwise be. 
The market-statistics of Altona (and Hamburg?) give only one class of 
plaice, but the returns of the sailing- and steam-trawlers are separately distinguished. 
The data accompanying the measurements sent in to the Bureau, as well as the 
measurements, show, that the fishing-grounds are practically the same for both 
ports. The material for these ports has therefore been combined, but the sailing- 
trawlers have been kept separate from the steam-trawlers, as they land a somewhat 
larger proportion of the smaller sizes of plaice. 
As can be seen from Tables I & X, the material sent in from Hamburg and 
Altona is exceedingly large and represents every month of the year, like that for 
Geestemtinde. It is fair to assume, therefore, that it represents very closely the 
total quantities of fish landed. The quantities of small plaice under 20 and 26 cm. 
have been estimated for Altona in the manner already described. The Hamburg 
market-statistics for 1904 have not yet been received, so that it has not been 
possible to estimate the total quantities of small plaice landed at that port: 
A certain amount of plaice is landed in Altona from the Kattegat without 
being separately stated. The quantity is perhaps small but it naturally makes the 
figures given in the Tables a little larger than they ought to be, if only the North | 
Sea is considered. 
