-40 Part III. — T we nt y- fourth Annual Report 



On 8th October another collection contained four of the first group. 

 They varied from 5*7cm. to 8 5cm. The second group consisted of 15 

 fishes, from 10-9cm. to 17-4cm. (4 T 5 ^-6J inches); the mean was 14'5cm.. 

 and the average 14"49cm., or 5f inches. 



A third series was represented by five fishes, from 21'3cm. to 22*7cm., 

 the average being 21 '72cm., or 8 T 9 W inches. The smaller fishes of the 

 series were not present. 



Another collection, from the Dornoch Firth on 5th and 11th November, 

 may be referred to. The first group contained 82 gurnards, from 5*9cm. 

 to ll - 3cm. (2^- 4 T 7 ^- inches) ; the maximum number were at 8cm., the 

 mean was about 8'3cm., and the average 8*44cm., or 3 T 5 ^- inches. 



There were eleven gurnards in the next group, the sizes ranging from 

 12'lcm. to 18-5CU1., (4|-7y 5 ^ inches) j the mean was 15cm., and the 

 average 14*98cm., or 5||- inches. The apparent growth in the year from 

 the preceding generation was thus 6*54cm., or 2 T 9 ^ inches. 



The third series contained ten fishes, from 19 "2cm. to 21 -5cm. (7 X 9 F -8 T \ 

 inches). The maximum number were at 21cm., and the average was 

 at 20' 62cm., or 8 J inches. These fishes were in the middle of their third 

 year; the apparent growth from the previous series was 5*64cm., or 2-^ 

 inches. 



The other groups were represented by a few fishes. An examination 

 of the figures in the Tables appended will show that the growth in the 

 Firth of Forth in 100 days, from the early part of May to the middle of 

 August, amounted for the first group, that is, fish about a year or more of 

 age, to 3cm., or 1^- inches. Precisely the same amount is indicated for 

 the growth of the corresponding series in 100 days, from the beginning of 

 July to the middle of October, in Aberdeen Bay. The older group, fish 

 about two years or over, increased also by 3cm., in the 100 days in the 

 Forth, and by l-83cm. in 25 days and l'29cm. in 76 days in Aberdeen 

 Bay. 





Number 



Series I. 



Serihs II. 



Date and Place. 



of 

 Days. 



Average 

 Size. 



Increase. 



Average 

 Size. 



Increase. 



Aberdeen Bay. 





Cm. 



Cm. 



Cm. 



Cm. 



Summer. 













5th July, .... 

 30th-31st July, . 

 20 th September, . 

 13th October, 



25 

 76 

 100 



11-56 

 (13-49) 

 14-57 

 14-63 



1-93 

 3 01 

 3-07 



16-90 

 18-73 

 20 02 



1-83 

 1-29 



Winter. 













5th July, .... 



265 



16 90 



2-27 







Firth of Forth. 













Summer. 













9th-l 3th May, . 



23rd July, .... 



16th-21st August, 



73 

 100 



10-1 



12-40 



1314 



2- 29 



3- 03 



16- 2 



17- 1 

 19-26 



0-9 

 3 06 



Winter. 













9th-13th May. . 



265 



16-21 



3-07 



21-54 



2-28 



