412 



Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



COMMON SO'L'E—Solea vulgaris. 



Total number caught, 588. 



Number Examined, 414— Males, 169. Females, 245. 

 Number approaching Ripeness, 116 — Males, 40. Females, 76. 

 Number Eipe, 57 — Males, 36. Females, 21. 

 Number Spent, 233— Males, 88. Females, 145. 



One Sole recorded as spent is of a less size than that of the smallest nearly ripe 

 specimen of the same sex (female), and was most probably really immature. 

 The remainder of those examined were immature. 



Table Showing the Distribution in Months. 



Table Showing Percentage to Number of Same Sex Examined in Month. 



Owing to the small size of the male reproductive organs in this species, and the- 

 difficulty in distinguishing readily between the various conditions, it is safest, in com- 

 puting the spawning season, to rely chiefly on the statistics of the females. The- 

 whole number examined is too small, and the period of observation too short for a 

 satisfactory conclusion, but we may say that our evidence shows that spawning takes 

 place from March to June, and a few individuals (as evidenced by the occurrence of a 

 nearly ripe female early in that month) spawn as late as August. March and April 

 appear to be the principal months, and spawning is mostly over by June. The pelagic 

 eggs were taken in the tow-net in March and April. 



On the East coast of Scotland this fish seems to be rather rare. Fulton records a 



