of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



221 



In Aberdeen Bay, 18, obtained on 21st August, measured from 6 -5cm. 

 to 8'8cm. (2^r-3£ inches), the average size being 7*7cm., or 3 inches. 

 In collections from the 3rd to the 10th September, the range of the 42 

 specimens was from 6cm. to 153cm. (2|-6 inches), the average size being 

 9'5cm., or 3| inches (fig. 6, pi. XII.). On 18th October 75 measured from 

 7'8cm. to 19 9cm. (3^-71 inches), the average size being 12cm., or 4f 

 inches. On the 31st of the same month, but in a different year, 21 

 ranged from 4 '8cm. to I5*7cm. 6 T 3 ^ inches), the average size being 

 12cm., or 4| inches. A week later, on the 6th November, a large 

 collection of 301 had a range from 8'6cm. to 19cm. (3§-7| inches), the 

 average being 12cm., or 4| inches, the same as on 18th October. At 

 the end of the month, on the 28th and 29th, 38 measured from 7 8cm. 

 to 20" 7cm. (3y^— inches), the average being approximately 13cm., or 

 5 J inches; and on 1 6th December in the same year, 18 ranged from 

 8* 3cm. to 20'8cm. (3 J-8 T 5 ^ inches), also with an approximate average of 

 13cm. 



At the middle of January, 7 ranged from 9 -7cm. to 1 6 "2cm. (4yf-6f 

 inches), the average size being about 12 '5cm., or 5 inches. Then on 11th 

 February in another year, 16 were from 8cm. to 17cm. (3J-6| inches), 

 the average being the same, and on 29th March, the last collection from 

 Aberdeen Bay containing fish under one year of age, 6 ranged from 9cm. to 

 19cm. (3 J— 7 g inches), the average size being about 13°5cm., or 5£ inches. 



It will thus be seen that the young cod increase in size rapidly in the 

 summer and up to October, and that after that to March the increase 

 appears to be but slight. The numbers obtained in the winter and early 

 spring were, however, small. The increase from August to the end of 

 the year was about 2 inches or a little more. 



The collections of cod under one year of age from other parts of the east 

 coast are, as a rale, small, but one or two are fairly large. In the Dornoch 

 Firth, on 9th and 10th November, 78 measured from 9*7cm. to 19'lcm. 

 (3j-|~-7| inches), and the average size was about 12'5cm., or 4J|- inches 

 (fig. 6, pi. XII.). In Burghead Bay, also in the Moray Firth, on 20th and 

 25th December, in another year, 91 ranged in length from 10'5cm. to 

 21*9cm. (4g-7 T 5 fr inches), the average size being about 15cm., or 5J inches. 

 In the Cromarty Firth, on 7th January, 16 measured from 8'7cm. to 22- 2cm. 

 (3£-8j inches), and on 17th January, in another part of the Moray Firth, 

 17 ranged in length from 13'8cm. to 22'3cm. (5|-8| inches), but these 

 fish were taken in the ordinary trawl-net, and the smaller specimens are 

 not duly represented. 



The collections when the cod is one year of age s in April or the end of 

 March, are not sufficient to show with precision its size at that period, 

 but, from what has been said and from what follows as to the size a 

 little later, it may be placed at about 5 J or 5| inches (13cm. or 14cm.), 

 with a range from 3 to 8 inches or a little more (7 5cm. to 20cm.). The 

 growth of the cod in its second year appears to be somewhat more rapid, 

 probably owing to its becoming more and more piscivorous in its 

 feeding. 



The second series, comprising cod in their second year, is well repre- 

 sented by over 2000 fish in 48 of the collections. The growth in summer 

 is rapid. In Aberdeen Bay, 5 taken on 13th May ranged from 14cm. 

 to 20-7cm. (5|-8J inches). In the Firth of Forth, 145, caught between 

 13th and 16th May, measured from 9 6cm. to to 23cm. (3|-9g inches), 

 with an average length of 15cm., or 5| inches. On 1st April, 4 caught 

 at Smith Bank, in the Moray Firth, were from 12 -8cm. to 20-3cm. (5 T ^- 

 8 inches), and 3 taken in deep water off the Shetlands on 19th and 22nd 

 May were from 18*lcm. to 23*7cm., or between 7^ and 9| inches. 



