31fi 



Appendices to Fifth Annual Report 



undoubted evidence of its continual reproduction and support at these 

 places or times was distinctly ascertained. In the herrings there is no 

 such distinct evidence, and while continual slight varieties are constantly- 

 occurring they do so only to be soon again obliterated in the more normal 

 conditions found to characterise the herrings both of our east and west 

 coasts.* 



The variation towards the extremes in all the characters of the herring 

 above dealt with is so gradual, that it is difficult to fix an actual sharp 

 line of distinction between that portion of the whole ground of variation 

 which should be called extreme and that which deserves the term of 

 normal. I append a table, however, showing the frequency of combina- 

 tion of the characters in their normal condition on the herrings. The 

 normal condition is here selected from the tables given above, and is only 

 approximate, but the table shows how small a percentage — about 57 per 

 cent. — of the herrings have in combination two or three characters in their 

 most common form, while only 7 or 8 per cent, have six or seven of these 

 in their normal form represented in common on the same fish. 



TABLE XXXIX., showing Percentage of Mature Herrings on which are 

 found in combination various characteristics where these are normal 

 in condition. 



Having the following characters in their more normal 

 form on one and the same lish. 



Percentage of Herrings. 



Winter. 



Summer. 



Position of dorsal and anal fins, .... 



57-2 



55-2 



Position of dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins, . 



28-5 



22-4 



Position of dorsal and anal fins, and length of head, . 



521 



51-8 



Position of dorsal and anal fins, and length of dorsal 

 fin, 



Position of dorsal and anal fins, and length of anal 



44-6 



43-5 



42-8 



26-7 



fin, 



Position of dorsal and anal fins, and length of caudal 

 fin, 



Position of dorsal and anal fins, and lengths of dorsal 

 and anal fins, 



Position of dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins, and length 

 of head, 



Position of dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins, and 



length of caudal fin, 

 Position of dorsal and anal fins, and lengths of head 



and caudal fin, 

 Position of dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins, and lengths 



of head and caudal fin, 

 Position of dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins, and lengths 



of head, dorsal, anal, and caudal fins, 



24-6 



40-0 



357 

 27-0 

 10-0 

 21-4 

 10-0 

 7-5 



21-0 

 21-6 

 16-0 

 39-0 

 16-0 

 5-6 



* A similar statement is made by Couch in discarding Leache's herring as a 

 distinct variety. 



