102 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



but which cannot be pushed home for want of further 

 statistical information. 



In the meantime much is to be deduced from a 

 knowledge of the sizes and conditions of plaice caught 

 on the various fishing grounds; and such data appear to 

 be the only information we can, at present, obtain that 

 is of any use in the consideration of the effects of the 

 trawl-mesh regulations. 



The measurements tabulated in this Eeport have 

 been made by the officers of the Committee : Captain 

 Wignall and his officers; and the Chief Bailiffs, Messrs. 

 J. Wright, Gr. Eccles, and B,. Jones; and a good deal is 

 to be said for the trouble and care taken in preparing 

 these records. Captain Wignall's measurements refer to 

 plaice caught practically all over the district ; Mr. Eccles' 

 figures refer to the Mersey fishing area only; Mr. 

 Wright's measurements were made in the Morecambe Bay 

 area; and Mr. Jones has measured catches in Menai 

 Straits and Carnarvon Bay. In addition to these 

 measurements, made on board ship, a number of 

 additional records have been made by Mr. A. Scott and 

 myself. Numerous samples of plaice and soles taken on 

 the various fishing grounds have been sent to the Piel and 

 Liverpool Laboratory ; and have been examined in much 

 greater detail than was possible on board ship. This part 

 of the work is weakest of all. The amount of time 

 required to examine even 100 plaice thoroughly is con- 

 siderable, and when we attempt to make any accurate 

 estimates of the age and the conditions as regards 

 maturity and nutrition, samples of more than the above 

 number are necessary. 



As a rule the measurements made by the Officers are 

 very accurate. The lengths of the fish are recorded in 

 centimetre groups. The use of inch scales is irritating 



