192 



Part III. — Seventh Annual Report 



appears that the largest specimens are obtained at the inner stations, 

 those got beyond the mouth of the Firth averaging about half an inch 

 less in length. They are also relatively most abundant at the inner 

 stations. There appears little doubt, therefore, that this area of the Firth 

 is the local centre of distribution of the long rough dab. 



Ttjrbot (Rhombus maximus)'. 



The number of turbot examined was 237. Of these thirty-five were 

 obtained by the ' Garland' — eight in the Firth of Forth, thirteen in St 

 Andrews Bay, four in Montrose Bay, four in Aberdeen Bay, two in the 

 Moray Firth at the Garland's stations, four at Smith Bank or vicinity ; 

 202 were examined by fishery officers. None of those obtained by the 

 ' Garland ' were mature ; two caught in St Andrews Bay in June were 

 about three-fourths mature, but the others were immature, and as a rule 

 small in size. Four fairly large specimens obtained at Smith Bank in 

 January and February were ' rather immature.' Of those examined by 

 fishery officers, one was ripe at the end of April, eighteen in May and 

 twenty-five in June. They were all got on the East Coast at distances 

 of from 50 to 150 miles from shore. 



It appears that the turbot spawns chiefly in May and June, and at 

 great distances from shore. 



Brill (Rhomhus laevis). 



Sixty-one brill were examined ; seven obtained by the ' Garland ' in the 

 Firth of Forth, three at Smith Bank, and the remainder by fishery 

 officers. Those from the Firth of Forth and Smith Bank were unripe ; 

 one from the mouth of the Forth, in June, being, however, nearly ripe. 

 Of the fifty-one examined on the East Coast by fishery officers, thirty- 

 seven were ripe; twenty-seven in April, 15 to 50 miles from shore, and 

 ten in May, 20 to 30 miles from shore. 



The brill appears to spawn earlier than the turbot, and, as a rule, not 

 so far from shore. 



Halibut (Hippoglossus vulgaris). 



All the halibut examined (329) were examined by fishery officers, and 

 were caught at distances varying from 10 to 140 miles off the East Coast. 

 Four were found to be ripe ; one, out of twenty-six, in May, caught 35 

 miles off Berwick, and three, out of eight, on June 6th and 7th, caught 

 from 100 to 150 miles east of May Island. 



From the notes of the fishery officers it appears that the halibut spawns 

 later than the turbot, and, like it, at great distances from shore. 



Other Flat-fish. 



Specimens of Sail Fluke or Merry Sole (Arnaglossus megastoma) 

 were also examined, but so few specimens were caught that only 

 imperfect conclusions can be based upon the information obtained. 



