COMMITTEE B — DECEMBER 1903 (32) 
of which at present the dabs had the monopoly. This deserved a scientific investi- 
gation, if only for the period of one year. If, in the early parts of the year, a 
large number were marked at the time they began to grow, at the end of the year 
there would be a substantial body of results to guide the Committee in the future. 
Dr. Kyze suggested that plaice of about two years should be taken, for the 
reason that smaller plaice would have to live for at least two years before they 
could be retaken; and the marks might, he thought, be lost before the expiration 
of that period. He did not think that it was at present known what food there 
was for plaice on those grounds. He suggested the taking of samples of the 
bottom at the same time as the fish were released, in order to determine the 
possibilities of the food there. 
Dr. Perersex thought that the sizes it was most desirable to mark should 
be between 15 and 25 cm. 
Mr. GarsranG entirely agreed with Dr. Kyze as to the desirability of making 
simultaneous examination of the food-supply on the grounds and suggested also an 
investigation of the stomachs of plaice and other flat-fishes living at the bottom. 
The stomachs of the marked fish could be examined on recovery. 
Dr. Hozx congratulated Dr. Prrersen on the sympathy his ideas had found 
in the Committee. He himself was somewhat sceptical on the matter. He merely 
wished to point out, that, in order that the experiments might take place on a 
large scale, the expenses would be important. 
Mr. Garsrane thought it would be possible to interpolate these experiments 
without more expense in the course of the next year’s work; he suggested that the 
fish might be caught in the course of an ordinary cruise and kept alive two or 
three days if necessary, while the regular investigations were being carried on, until 
they had reached their Dogger stations. 
Dr. Horx thought the point had been discussed at sufficient length, and he 
desired the Committee to proceed to point 5 a. 
(5a) Mr. Garsrane thought that the Committee would agree with him that success- 
ful results had been obtained during the past year by means of the marking experi- 
ments. He showed a chart on which the results of the English experiments were 
displayed up to date. The percentage recovered in the case of the plaice marked 
a year ago was 28%. A suitable label was of the utmost importance. They had 
to avoid injuring the fish, and to adopt a label large enough to attract the notice 
of fishermen, without increasing the risk of being rubbed off. An exceptional 
number of tailless plaice appearéd to have been caught during the past year by 
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