34 REVIEW OF TRAWLING REPORT OF 1884. 



'The flat fishes, such as turbot, brill, plaice, soles, dabs, and 

 thornback (skate) would certainly be left in comparative se- 

 curity in certain bays, as at St Andrews, the larger only, 

 perhaps, seeking the grounds in the offing.' These larger 

 flat-fishes, many of which are mature (that is, spawning) are 

 captured outside the three-mile limit in great numbers, and 

 thus the supply of ova and young fishes for the inshore waters 

 is affected, for, as previously pointed out, the latter waters 

 depend to a large extent on the former in this respect. Few 

 or no spawning plaice (none within our experience) are ever 

 captured within the bay, though eggs and young in various 

 stages are abundant. It is stated, however, that adult ripe 

 plaice were formerly procured by hook and line off the rocky 

 shore towards the mouth of the bay between Boarhills and 

 Fife-Ness, on hard ground on which no trawl could work. The 

 adult spawning plaice in greater numbers occur in the offshore 

 waters, and, so far as known, there is no passage of these from 

 the outer to the inner area for the purpose of discharging their 

 eggs — as was formerly believed in regard to many fishes. If it 

 had been for the advantage of the eggs and larval plaice that 

 the adults should only spawn close inshore in the shallow 

 water, there is no reason to doubt that such would have been 

 the arrangement. It is apparent, however, that it is otherwise. 

 Before reaching the shallow water of the bays the scattered ova 

 have advanced towards hatching or have hatched, the majority 

 probably in the latter condition, the open water being perhaps 

 better suited for their safety. The yolk-sac of the larval fish is 

 soon absorbed, the symmetrical post-larval condition is reached, 

 by-and-by transformation occurs, and the little fish takes to the 

 bottom, swarms being found in the muddy rock-pools towards 

 the end of April and beginning of May. The life-history of 

 this species would seem to show that — in dealing artificially 

 with the eggs and larvse — the most natural method is to place 

 the larval fishes, just before the yolk-sac is absorbed, some 

 distance from shore. They are more or less transparent, and 

 will escape many of the dangers they run in such waters, and, 

 before being carried close inshore, will either be transformed or 

 about to be transformed, and more capable of escaping, by their 



