Holt — Survey of Fishing Grounds, West Coast of Ireland. 391 

 Table Showing the Distribution in Months. 



Table Showing Percentage of Number of Same Sex in Month. 



The pelagic eggs were abundant in the tow-nets from March until the end of June. 



It appears that the Gurnard spawns on the west coast during the months of March 

 to July, inclusive, and probably to some extent in August and the latter part of 

 February, but chiefly in March, April, May, and June. On the east coast of Scotland 

 Fulton found ripe females from March to July, inclusive, and the ova have been taken 

 in the Moray Firth by Mr. Scott as early as January. M'Intosh and Prince, to whom 

 I am indebted for the last reference, give April to June as the spawning period for St. 

 Andrew's Bay. 



Distribution of Spawning Fish. 



Of the 59 Ripe females, 18, at most, were taken in depths less than 20 fathoms, of 

 which perhaps 12 were above the 10 fathom line, viz. in Blacksod, Inver, and Downies 

 Bays, and in Lough Swilly. 6 were between 45 and 53 fathoms, and the remainder at 

 20 to 38 fathoms. 2 females were nearly ripe in 80 fathoms. The ripe males, much 

 fewer in number, were pretty evenly distributed over the different depths. Thus on 

 the "West coast spawning seems to take place mostly in comparatively deep water, i. e. 

 in the more open parts of the sea. On the East coast of Scotland, according to Fulton, 

 it takes place both in territorial and off-shore waters, and the ova have been taken in 

 the tow-net 65 miles off shore. 



