of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



187 



2. Common Dab. 



The number of common dabs marked and returned to the sea was 337, 

 of which eleven were re-captured, or 3 '2 per cent. If the number which had 

 the label attached by aluminium wire be deducted, the percentage rises 

 to 4 *2 — small compared with that of the plaice. Particulars regarding 

 each of the specimens which were again caught are given in the adjoining 

 Table. With two exceptions they w r ere all captured by hook ; one was 

 caught by beam-trawd, and one in a herring net ; and they were all above 

 the minimum size at which sexual maturity is attained. A study of the 

 data referring to these marked dabs brings out a striking contrast in their 

 movements to the movaments of the plaice. The distances travelled were 

 greater, ranging from 3 to 37 miles ; the average distance was 14*5 miles, 

 in a mean period of freedom of 178 3 days. One specimen set free 

 on 6th November 1891, off the town of St Andrews, travelled round 

 Fife Ness to Kinghorn in the Firth of Forth, a distance of 29 miles, where 

 it was caught on 26th September in the following year, or after an 

 interval of 324 days. Another, liberated near Station L, in the Firth of 

 Forth, on 21st October 1892, was re-captured 2 miles east of Dunbar, 127 

 days later, on 26th February 1893, having gone a distance of 18 miles. 

 But the most remarkable case is that of the specimen which was set free 

 in St Andrews Bay, 4 miles south of the Abertay Lightship, at the mouth 

 of the Tay, on 8th November 1892, and was re-captured off Burnmouth, on 

 the Coast of Berwickshire, 37 miles distant, on 9th February following, or 

 in 93 days from its liberation. This fish did not come into my possession, 

 but the label was sent to me, and Mr John Doull, the Fishery Officer of 

 the district, made careful inquiries as to the place where it was re-captured 

 by the fishing boat 1 Maggie Jane ' of Eyemouth. 



It will also be observed from the Table that there is no indication 

 whatever of any regularity in the movements of this fish, such as is so 

 characteristic of the plaice. They appear to be erratic. Thus, one passed 

 round from the Firth of Forth into St Andrews Bay, another travelled in 

 the opposite direction from St Andrews Bay to far up the Firth of Forth, 

 and a third, liberated at the same time and place as the one last referred 

 to, went off to the north-east, and was caught three months later off 

 Arbroath. Similarly, of two set free at the same time and place, on 22nd 

 October 1892, one was re-taken 13 miles to the east, further up the Firth 

 of Forth, at Port Edgar, 121 days later, and the other was caught on the 

 Coast of Fife after the lapse of 186 days. It would appear from these 

 experiments that the common dab is much more active than the plaice, 

 that it moves freely about the territorial waters, going considerable 

 distances in comparatively short periods, and travelling indifferently in any 

 direction offshore, or inshore, or along the coast. These results also 

 agree with other investigations of the ' Garland,' which have shown that 

 the young of the common dab have no specially localised habitat, and that 

 the distribution of the spawning fish is indifferently within or without the 

 territorial waters. 



3. Lemon Sole. 



Only one of 173 marked was recovered. It was 13 inches in length, 

 and was set free on 10th November 1892, near the North Carr Light- 

 ship, off Fife Ness, and again caught on 7th March 1893 'in St Andrew's 

 Bay.' I learned about it from a fish merchant in Glasgow, to whom it 

 was sent along with other fish. Lemon soles are nearly all caught by 

 trawl, rarely by line, and as it is a fairly vigorous fish it is probable that 

 other marked specimens have been caught, but not forwarded for the 

 reasons previously adverted to. 



