of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



309 



from 26mm. to 49mm., derived from the previous autumn; and (3) in 

 March a group from 79mm. to 103mm. 



According to the rate of growth deduced by Masterman, the larger 

 herrings, measuring about 96mm., would be approximately 19 to 20 

 months old, which would refer them back to the autumn fish, two years 

 before. 



In March, as mentioned above, the larval herrings begin to appear. 

 The earliest in the tables is 3rd March. From 3rd to 7th, five measured 

 5mm. to 8mm.; on 14th, 135 measured from 6mm. to 9mm.; from 

 26th to 31st, 5804 measured from 6mm. to 11mm., the range during the 

 month being from 5mm. to 11mm. Great hauls were taken on 30th 

 March 1889, so much so that the bottom-net had to be disused. In April, 

 from 2nd to 11th, 716 measured from 6mm. to 11mm. ; from 11th to 21st, 

 108 were from 7mm. to 14mm. ; from 21st to 28th, 39 were from 5mm. 

 to 16mm., the progress in growth being shown by the larger sizes, the 

 maximum for the month being 16mm. (§ inch), and the range from 5mm. 

 to 16mm. In this month, however, a complication is introduced by the 

 appearance of larval sprats. 



Up to April, and well into that month, there seems to be little or no 

 difficulty, owing to the limit of the spawning period of the sprat. 

 Masterman, in describing the pelagic eggs collected by the " Garland " 

 over a series of years,* states that the extreme limits of the spawning 

 period of this fish, as inferred from the eggs obtained, were from 23rd 

 March to 19th August, both in the same year (1891). The earliest dates 

 in other years were 6th, 14th, 17th, 24th April, and at first very few 

 were got. The chief spawning time is from the middle of May on 

 towards the end of June. 



It would be remarkable if all the early post-larval sprats were 

 separated from the early post-larval herrings, and from the latter part of 

 April the possibility of this disturbing factor has to be considered. From 

 the Table given below, however, it appears that this disturbance cannot 

 be serious, for in the months when sprats ought to be appearing in 

 greater numbers (June-July) clupeoids are remarkably scarce. 



On May 2nd five clupeoids measured from 10mm. to 17mm. (| to 

 inches), and are clearly herrings ; in the period 14th to 31st, 28 

 measured from 5mm. to 25mm., but there appear to be again two groups, 

 viz. — 13 from 5mm. to 8mm., and 15 from 13mm. to 25mm., which 

 show the continued growth of the young herring ; at the end of May 

 the herrings are 17mm. to 22mm. (up to J inch), and as the one at 

 25mm. was taken on 16th, it is probable the limit is greater and slightly 

 exceeds one inch. 



The herring at this period and size may be approaching three months 

 of age. At a nearly corresponding stage, Meyer's Baltic herrings (but at 

 the end of July, with higher temperatures) were 30mm. to 35mm. (1^ to 

 1| inches) ; those in the sea, as he inferred, being 45mm. to 50mm. 



In June (9th, 10th) only three were got ; one at 13mm., the other 

 two measured 20mm. 



In July (9th) two alone of the smaller were caught, measuring 16mm. 

 There are, however, a series of 25, extending from 28mm. to 37mm., the 

 average size being 32'lmm (1| inches). These can only be regarded as 

 the spring herrings, now over three months, and it may be four months 

 old — months, too, very favourable for growth. 



There are four other herrings which were taken on the same date, viz., 

 one 57mm., two 59mm., and one 75mm., the mean being 62 - 5mm. (2-J 

 inches). They probably do not belong to the same group, and it is 



* Fifteenth Annual Report, Part III., p. 233. 



