of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



283 



57-5, in single examples up to 60; number of tail vertebrae large, in 

 average 1 4*5 and more; number of keeled scales under 14.5 in average; 

 body tolerably long, with small difference in position between dorsal and 

 anal fins ; head, and especially tail, short ; anal fin long, often longer than 

 dorsal ; head well formed, with tolerably long (on average, high also) 

 snout, small eyes, and tolerably broad operculum ; cranium small, tolerably 

 high and slender; length to breadth index tolerably small (30) — 

 mesodolichocephalism. 



One of the most definite' marked races ; spawning time in February 

 and March. The Norwegiar summer and " fat-herring " is the young of 

 the vaarsild. 



III. Spring or Coast Herring of the northerly North Sea and Skager- 

 rak. — Large, in maturity mostly over 250mm. ; sum of vertebrae large, 

 in average 56-5 to 57*0 ; number of tail vertebrae large, average over 14*0 ; 

 keeled scales, 14' 5 in average ; back and tail as in former race ; anal and 

 dorsal fins very long ; length /to breadth index of skull small (30) — 

 mesodolichocephalism. 



This race, which strikingly resembles the foregoing and seems to differ 

 from it only in the smaller number of vertebrae, includes those which in 

 spring, in more or less salt water, are spawning on the west and east coasts 

 of Scotland (Ballantrae, Firth of Forth), as well as those of the Skager- 

 rak coast (Varsill of Gothenburg). They differ from the sea- or autumn- 

 herring of the same places in many characteristics — above all, in that they 

 have, as a rule, a more pronounced body stature, longer anal fin, and 

 higher, or at least not smaller, number of vertebrae ; against which stands 

 a smaller number of keeled scales, and a smaller skull breadth ; and 

 lastly, that in them, as in the Norwegian " vaarsild," the number 8 in 

 the ventral fin-rays occurs much seldomer. 



The three races included in this group — the spring-herring of Ballantrae 

 an the west coast of Scotland, the spring-herring of the Firth of Forth, 

 ond the spring-herring of Bohuslan — are quite distinct the one from the 

 other. The last gives a clear and interesting transition to the spring- 

 herring of Riigen. 



IV. Spring or Coast Herring of the southern North Sea and tvest 

 B&ltic, including those of the Kattegat.- — Moderately large, the average at 

 maturity seldom reaching 250mm.; number of vertebrae small, the 

 average over 55*0, highest 56, seldom over 55*5 ; number of keeled scales 

 under 14*5 in average ; number of vertebrae to the first hoemal arch low, 

 in average 24 or less, to highest 24*5 ; dorsal and ventral fins and the 

 anus mostly in a forward position, especially the two last ; head 

 with short and small or medium-sized snout, and tolerably high skull ; 

 length to breadth index tolerably large (30 to 31*5 and more), strong 

 brachycephalism ; pre-eminently coast-herring which spawn in more or 

 less brackish bays and mouths of rivers, in spring time from March to 

 June ; the young grow up in these bays, and wait there quite a year. 



This group contains three sub-groups — (1) Herring of southern North- 

 Sea, of Rinkjobing Fjords, Dollart, and Zuyder See ; (2) herring of west 

 Baltic (Schley, Dassower See, &c.) ; (3) spring-herring of the Lumfjorcls 

 and Belt. 



IVa. Spring-herring of Riigen. — Large size and large number of 

 vertebrae ; an intermediate form between the east coast herring of the 

 Skagerrak and the "stromlings" of the east Baltic. 



V. Autumn or Sea Herring of the southern North Sea, including those 

 of the Skagerrak and Kattegat (Northern Bank Herring). — Large, at 

 maturity mostly over 250mm.; number of vertebrae moderately large, 56*5; 

 number of keeled scales high, mostly over 14 '5 to 14*9 ; number of 



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