134 



Part III. — Thirteenth Annual Report 



these sizes being founded upon the information previously ascertained 

 concerning the lengths at which the species named become sexually- 

 ripe.* The total number of mature haddocks taken in all the experiments 

 was 776, the immature numbering 1303 ; the number of mature whitings 

 was 209, and the immature only 14 ; the number of mature cod was 10, 

 and the immature 102; the number of mature dabs was 117, and the 

 immature only 1. 



The proportion of immature haddocks obtained is considerable, and 

 the ratio of the number of immature to mature increases as the size of 

 the hook diminishes. Of 90 taken with the largest hook (No. 7), 47, or 

 just a little over half, were immature ; with the smallest hook (No. 20), 

 588 were captured, of which 425, or over three-fourths, were immature. 

 It is the same with the whitings and the cod. Nevertheless, as may be 

 seen from the accompanying table, a considerable number of immature 

 forms were captured by the larger hooks :- — 



Showing the Numbers of Mature and Immature Fishes caught with the 

 different kinds of Hooks. 





Haddocks. 



Whitings 



Cod. 



Common Dabs. 



No. of 



















Hook. 





















Mature. 



Immature. 



Mature. 



Immature.. 



Mature. 



Immature. 



Mature. 



Immature. 



7 



43 



47 



8 



1 



2 



9 



2 





8 



86 



86 



10 





2 



6 



1 





10 



170 



227 



43 



2 





17 



15 





18 



172 



248 



33 



2 



4 



25 



15 



1 



19 



142 



270 



60 



4 



1 



24 



39 





20 



163 



425 



55 



5 



1 



21 



45 





Total. 



776 



1303 



209 



14 



10 



102 



117 



1 



The proportion of immature round fishes captured by hook in line- 

 fishing is, therefore, considerable ; but for the reasons above explained, 

 it is necessary also to consider the precise manner in which they were 

 captured, or in other words, the nature of the injury inflicted upon 

 them by the hook. An analysis of the records shows that, of the 1419 

 immature haddocks, whitings, and cod obtained, 686 had swallowed the 

 hook, which was imbedded in the throat ; 652 were caught by the hook 

 penetrating the mouth or inner surface of the lips ; 39 were caught 

 through the outer surface of the lip ; and 42 by the gill or the skin. 

 The figures for each species are as follows : — 





Caught by 

 Pharynx. 



Caught by 

 Mouth. 



Caught by 

 Outer Surface 

 of Lip. 



Caught by 

 GUI, Skin, 

 &c. 



Haddock, . 

 Whiting, . 

 Cod, . 



630 

 3 

 53 



597 

 9 

 46 



37 

 1 

 1 



39 

 1 



2 



On considering the proportions caught in these various ways by the 

 different kinds of hooks, it is found that the great majority of the 

 immature specimens which were caught by the pharynx were taken by 

 the smaller hooks, and that those captured by the larger hooks were 



* Eighth Annual Report, Part III. p. 161 ; Tenth Annual Report, Part III. p. 236. 



