SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 273 



operator, who then affixes it to the fish and replaces the 

 latter in another tank. With a little practice all this 

 takes rather less than a minute. If the fish is kept for an 

 hour or two so as to recover from the inconvenience of 

 being caught, and if the hole in its body is neatly made 

 so as to avoid bleeding, it appears to experience no 

 discomfort. The marked fish are then kept in the tanks 

 for some hours so as to observe whether any ill effects 

 have followed the operation. They are then put into a 

 large bucket which has a " kicking-rope " attached, and 

 this is lowered overboard (the vessel being slowed down) 

 and " tipped " so as to liberate the fish. When the fish 

 are marked in cold weather, no difficulty whatever has 

 been experienced in catching, keeping, and liberating 

 them in first-class condition. 



For all particulars as to the above methods, and for 

 our first supply of the marks, I am indebted to Mr. W. 

 Garstang, of the Marine Laboratory at Lowestoft, and to 

 his assistant, Mr. J. 0. Borley. 



We began to mark plaice and soles in October, 1904, 

 and the following is a list of the places and dates, at and 

 on which the fish were liberated. 



1. Luce Bay, October 18, 1904 — 50 plaice marked 



and liberated. 



2. Ramsey Bay, half-way between Point of Ayre and 



Bahama Lightship, October 19, 1904 — 34 plaice. 



3. Near Puffin Island, North Wales, November 12, 



1904—2 soles, 42 plaice. 



4. 1^ miles N.W. of Great Orme's Head, North 



Wales, November 12, 1904 — 5 soles, 49 plaice. 



5. 2 miles N.W. by W. of Newcorae Knoll Buoy. 



Liverpool Bay, November 12, 1904 — 53 plaice. 



6. Blackpool Closed Ground, November 13, 190- 



5 soles, 78 plaice, 1 flounder. 



