424 Scientiiic Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



KEMAEKS. 



ROUND FISH. 



COMMON SEA '^'KEAM—Fagelliiscentrodontus. 



The observations upon which the tentative limit of 14 inches is based were made by 

 Mr. D. H. Lane this autumn at Queenstown. Males of 12 inches were immature ; 

 males of 16 and 17 inches were spent. A female of 13| inches was immature, and 

 several from 15^ to 18 inches were recently spent. Thirteen fish in all were 

 examined. 



EED GURNARD— rn^fo cuculus. 



No red gurnard were taken under 13 inches, at which size both seses were mature. 

 I suspect the limit is about the same as in grey gurnard, or sUghtly higher, but have 

 no evidence. 



SAPPHIRINE GURNARD— T>%;« hirundo. 



The limit appears to be somewhere between 12 and 16 inches. Males were mature 

 from 12 inches and above. None of less size were taken. A female of 12 inches was 

 immature, and one of 16 inches spent. Other females between 20 and 23 inches were 

 approaching ripeness. 



JOHN TtO^Y—Zeusfaber. 



The evidence is meagre, and the limit assigned therefore provisional, and probably 

 too high. 



COMMON OR GREY (ilJ'Si^KKD—Triglagurnardus. 



The male appears to come to maturity at about 7 inches ; but all females less than. 

 9 inches which 1 examined were immature, as were also some a little larger. The 

 smallest ripe female was 9f inches. Fulton puts the limit at 8 inches. 



COD — Gadus morrhua. 



Amongst the 62 fish examined I can find no evidence of the female being matur* 

 at a length of less than 30 inches. Only seven of a less size were examined, and weie 

 all immature. They consist of two between 9 and 21 inches (exact size not recorded), 

 one at 16| inches, and four from 23| to 25^ inches. All males above 24 inches were 

 mature, i. e. were ripe or spent, except one at 35 inches. Seven males were immature, 

 four between 9 and 21 inches, and three from 15f to 16^ inches. No males between 21 

 and 25 inches, and no female between 25^ and 30 inches came under observation. As 

 far as my evidence goes it seems to point to the fact that the male comes to maturity at 

 a smaller size than the female, and I cannot help thinking that Piilton's limit of 20 

 inches is founded on a consideration of the male condition, and that to include the im- 

 mature females it should be considerably higher ; but in the absence of intermediate 

 sizes and sufficient numbers of the smaller females, I am unable to propose any exact 

 limit. It seems likely to be at about 26 or 27 inches. 



