198 



Part III. — Twenty-fourth Annual Report 



period when maturity is reached. The third series of females, which 

 comprises the greater number of fishes, begins about 12 - 5cni. and appears 

 to extend to 20cm. The cone in the curve is a wide one, and the apex, 

 or point where the fish are chiefly aggregated, is at 16-5cm. (6 J inches). 

 The results may be stated in tabular form as follows : — 



Group. 



Sex. 



Probable Age. 



Range in 

 Size. 



Average 

 Si/.e. 



Apparent 

 Growth in 

 Year. 



I. 





10 months. 



47-68mm. 



57 '4mm. 



57mm. 



»•{ 



2 



d 



1 vear and 10 months. 



>» »> 



9-13cm. 

 9 -12cm. 



11cm. 

 10cm. 



5'5cm. 

 4"5cm. 



"■■{ 



2 

 d 



2 years and 10 months. 



>> pi 



12-5-20cm. 

 ll*5-16cm. 



16*5cm. 

 13*5cm. 



5 "5cm. 

 3"5cm. 



In the collection obtained on 1st April the sexes were also separated 

 and measured in the older groups. In the second series, or those about 

 two years old, the females extended in length from 89mm. to 126mm. 

 (3^-4||- inches), the average being about lO'Ocin., or 4g inches. .This 

 shows a rate of growth of about 5cm. (2 inches) from the previous year's 

 fish. The males extended from about 9cm. to 11cm., (3^-4| inches), 

 the average length being about 10cm. , or a little less, indicating a growth 

 from the previous year's series of about 4-5cm. (If inches). 



In the third group represented the females extend from 131mm. to 

 apparently 210mm. (5J-8| iuches), the fish being mostly aggregated 

 between 15cm. and 17cm., the apex of the curve being at 17cm. If the 

 latter be taken as the mean size of the group, the growth from the 

 previous series would be on the average about G^cm., or 2k inches, which 

 is too large for this series. The presence of a small cusp at 15cm. leads 

 oue to suspect that this group is made up of two series. 



The males of the third series are not numerous, and their size extends 

 from about 11cm. to 15cm., the average length being approximately 13cm., 

 or 5g inches ; the amount of growth indicated in the year from the 

 previous series being 3cm., or barely an inch and a quarter. In tabular 

 form the particulars are these : — 



Group. 



Sex. 



Probable Age. 



Pange in Size. 



Average Size. 



Apparent 

 Growth in 

 Year. 



I. 





1 year. 



47-70nim. 



56 "2mm. 



5 "5cm. 



» { 



2 



6 



2 years. 



9-1 3cm. 

 9-llcm. 



10 "5cm. 

 10cm. 



5' 0cm. 

 4 -5cm. 



„, { 



2 

 6 



3 years. 



(13-21cm.) 

 11-1 5cm. 



(17) 

 13 



(65cm.) 

 3cm. 



