420 8eientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



TUEBOT — Rhombus maximus. 



I do not consider that my evidence justifies me in iiiterfering -witli Dr. Fulton's 

 limit of 18 inches. The occurrence of a nearly ripe male of 13 inches may be excep- 

 tional, and in any case does not give any clue as to the smallest size of the mature 

 female. The following fish are entered in the records as immature : — Males, two at 

 14 inches, one at 15 inches. Females, one at 11^ inches, two at 122- inches, one at 

 13 inches, three at 14 inches, two at 15 inches, one at 15| inches, and one at 17| inches, 

 whilst other two at the same size are entered as spent. 



BEILL — Mhomhus Imvis. 



The limit of 15 inches, which I have assigned to this species, represents the size of the 

 smallest ripe female taken. Undoubtedly the male comes to maturity at a much smaller 

 size, possibly about 11 inches in extreme cases, as we obtained a half -ripe specimen 

 at 10| inches, which probably would grow very little before becoming fully mature. 

 Others in the same condition were 13, 14, and up to 19 inches, whilst the smallest ripe 

 male was, as in the case of the other sex, 15 inches in length. One male of 8 inches 

 was immature, and six males from 10 J to 13 inches, and two females of 12 and 12-| 

 inches were in the same condition, so that in this, as in other species of Pleuronectidse, 

 there is considerable individual variation, at any rate in the males, in the assumption 

 •of the mature condition. 



The limit of 12 inches, fixed upon by the recent conference on fishery matters is 

 certainly too small to protect immature females, but M'ould protect immature males, 

 with the exception of a certain proportion in which maturity is retarded. 



WITCH — Arnoglossus megastoma. 



Owing to some vagueness in the entries under station 12, I am unable to discover 

 the exact size of the smallest mature female on that occasion. 12 inches is the smallest 

 size of which I have a clear record. The males are mature at a smaller size, the 

 smallest, perhaps, at 9|- inches ; but for the same reason this is doubtful. Therefore, 

 although inclined to think that females do not become mature under 12 inches, I do 

 not feel justified in making use of my own conclusions in preference to Fulton's. 



PLAICE — Phuronectesplatessa. 



From a consideration of all my evidence, I cannot help thinking that the female is 

 never mature at a less size than 15 inches : smaller females are certainly recorded as 

 spent in the Tables, hut, as I have stated above (p. ), I think this has been done in 

 error. The male may be mature at 10 inches. The smallest ripe female mentioned 

 hy Fulton is 1 7| inches. 



POLE DAB — Fleuronectes cynoglossus. 



In this species it appears to me that the female is not mature at 12 inches, but my 

 •evidence on the subject is so meagre that I have preferred to abstain from interfering 

 with Fulton's limit. 



COMMON D KB— Fleuronectes limanda. 



The male appears to come to maturity at a minimum length of about 5 inches, and 

 the female at about 7 inches ; 7| inches was the smallest size at which a ripe female 

 was taken. Fulton puts the limit at six inches, without remark as to sex ; the smallest 

 lipe fish he got was 5| inches. 



