of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



195 



I may say that the marked specimen which was captured in a herring 

 net off Dunbar (p. 187), and which exhibited no increase of length 

 during the 1 27 days it was free, was transferred living to one of the tanks 

 on 25th February. The wound in the tail was rather severe, and the fish 

 did not begin to gain weight until May. On 6th March it was 9 J inches 

 long, and weighed 4 \ oz. ; on 6th May its length was 9| inches, and its 

 weight 5 oz. and 70 grains. 



3. Lemon Sole. 



Only one of the marked and liberated specimens was re-caught (p. 187). 

 It had grown from 13| to 13 \ inches in the 127 days during which itwasfree. 

 Two specimens were confined in the tanks. One, living in the tank with 

 the plaice and dabs referred to above, gave the following on the dates 

 mentioned: — 14th January 1892, 11 j inches and 10 oz. 30 grains; 11th 

 February, 11 \ inches and 9| oz. 30 grains ; 10th March, 11 \ inches and 

 9J oz. and 60 grains ; it died later. Another, in a different tank, gave 

 the following results: — 14th January 1892, 9 \ inches and 3J oz. ; 11th 

 February, 9 \ inches and 3 J oz. and 60 grains ; 10th March, 9^ inches 

 and 3| oz. and 40 grains ; 6th July, 9§ inches and 3| oz. 60 grains ; 6th 

 September, 9J inches and 4J oz. ; 6th October, 9 J inches and 4£ oz. 

 and 40 grains. It died on 10th October. 



4. TURBOT AND BRILL. 



The re-captured turbot, which was free for 43 days (p. 189), showed 

 no increase in length ; the abrasion was considerable. One of the little 

 specimens set free at Montrose, and re-captured, did, however, show 

 rather rapid growth. It was liberated on 27th May 1891, and was 

 then exactly 6 inches' long. On 31st August, or 96 days afterwards, 

 it was taken again at the same place, and was exactly 8 inches in 

 length — an increase of 2 inches in 3 months. In this case the little 

 brass disc was not tied to the tail, but was fixed at the edge of the fish 

 within the marginal fin, the silk cord passing through the flesh, and being 

 tied loosely below. The cord also bore testimony to the rate of growth 

 of the chief food of these young turbot, in the shape of small mussels 

 attached to it, the largest of which measured slightly over \ of an inch in 

 length, but most of them were much smaller. 



No marked brill were recovered ; but a few specimens brought from 

 Montrose were kept in the tanks. One, placed in the tank on 22nd 

 January 1892, was 14 inches long, and weighed 1 lb. 7| oz. on 28th 

 January; on 11th February it was of the same length, but had increased 

 in weight by 1-J, oz. On 24th February it was found dead, and turned 

 out to be a male, with the reproductive organ 'rather mature.' Another 

 specimen, 12 J inches long, and weighing 1 lb. 2| oz., was put in the tank 

 on 9th February ; it was found dead on 1 7th February, and was a male 

 1 rather mature.' Other two specimens also died in a fortnight ; one was 

 a female, 14| inches long, with the ovaries pretty fully developed, and 

 the other a male, 1 2 \ inches long, and rather mature. 



5. Cod. 



Of the ten marked cod re-captured (p. 189), I was able to measure only 

 six. All, except one, exhibited an increase in length, and that one had 



