Holt — Survey of Fishing Grounds, West Coast of Ireland. 417 



spent. In July, 4 naales and 6 females were approacMng ripeness, 14 males and 

 8 females ripe, and 1 male and 2 females spent. In August, 1 male and 1 female were 

 approaching ripeness, and 2 males and 4 females spent. Thus individuals are ripe as 

 early as March, spent examples begin to occur in May, and some are still not quite ripe 

 in August, so that the spawning period is a long one, hut seems to he chiefly in the 

 Spring and Summer. Beard obtained eggs (purses) in January, and from that month 

 in increasing numbers until June, from the Scotch coast. Eipe females were found 

 between 4 and 26 fathoms, and at 70 to 80 fathoms. Others were nearly ripe at inter- 

 mediate depths. Eipe males occurred at almost every depth between 4 and 70 fathoms, 

 and nearly ripe examples were found at 74 to 80 fathoms. Thus the thornback appears 

 to spawn wherever it happens to be, whether in shallow or deep water, or quite near 

 the land or at some distance from it. 



SPOTTED RAY — Raia maculata. 

 None were identified in May, 1890. During the remainder of the operations 

 43 mature examples were examined. In March, 4 females were approaching ripeness, 

 and 1 male and 1 female were ripe. In April, 3 females were ripe. In May, 1 female 

 was approaching ripeness, 2 females were ripe, and 2 males spent. In June, 9 males 

 and 3 females were ripe, and 7 females spent. In July 3 males and 1 female were 

 approaching ripeness, 1 female was ripe, and 5 females spent. This species probably 

 spawns thi'oughout a considerable period, chiefly perhaps in the spring and early 

 summer. 



Distribution of Spawning Fish. 



Eipe females were found at 4 to 33 fathoms, but were most abundant between 

 4 and 15 fathoms. No examples were met with at more than 48 fathoms. On several 

 occasions the egg-purses were deposited on deck in Blacksod Bay. Thus it appears 

 that they spaT\m, as they live, chiefly in the shallower waters, and therefore, on this 

 coast, in shallow bays and inlets, such as Blacksod and Cleggan Bays, or, if in open 

 water, always rather near the land. 



OWL KAY — Maia microcellata. 

 2 ripe females were examined. One occurred at 9 to b\ fathoms in Blacksod Bay in 

 April, and the other at 19 to 5 fathoms in Loughrosmore Bay in May. In each case 

 the egg-purses were protruding when the ray was brought on deck. The species 

 appears to be confined to shallow water on this coast. 



SANDY RAY. Raia circularis. 



The 7 mature examples occun-ed at a maximum and minimum depth of 154 and 

 13 fathoms. Only 1 was in less than 25 fathoms. The only immature representative, 

 8 inches long, occurred at 115 fathoms. 



Day remarks that this ray is found mostly in sheltered bays, in which Beard, on 

 account of the tenderness of the egg -purse, supposes that it spawns. 



Professor M'Intosh, in his report to the Trawling Commission, records the occur- 

 rence of both mature and young examples between 13 and 34 fathoms, from Aberdeen 

 Bay. During 1889 the Scotch Fishery Board tender " Garland" captured 4 examples, 

 all immature. Of these, 2 specimens of imder 4 inches were respectively obtained at 

 11 fathoms in St. Andrew's Bay, and 25 fathoms on the Smith Bank, off the Moray 

 Firth. The other 2, 11 and 15 inches long, were at 11 and 13 fathoms. 



^ Egg-purses were deposited on deck in Blacksod Bay on more than one occasion. 



SCIEN. PROC. R.D.S., VOL. VII., PART IV. 2 L 



