24.6 Part lit. — Sixteenth Annual Report 



Flounder. 



Date. 



Net. 



Place. 



Number of 

 Specimens. 



April 13, 1889 

 „ 27, 1889 



May 31, 1892 

 „ 31, 1892 



„ 6, 1891 

 „ 20, 1890 

 „ 28, 1890 

 „ 29, 1890 

 June 9, 1892 

 „ 28, 1887 

 „ 5, 1889 

 „ 6, 1895 

 „ 8, 1887 

 8, 1887 

 5, 1888 

 8, 1891 

 16, 1895 

 22, 1891 



July 



„ 16, 1897 

 Aug. 18, 1891 

 Sept. 10, 1888 



Bottom 

 >) 



Surface 

 Midwater 



Bottom 



Midwater 



5) 



Bottom 



Midwater 



St. Andrews Bay, 



Station II., Forth, 



Cross-section III., Forth, 

 North half, 



Station IV., Forth, 



Station I., Aberdeen, 

 St. Andrews,... 



Moray Firth, 



Station VIII., Forth, 



In Harbour, 



St. Andrews, 



Station IV., St. Andrews,.,. 

 Kinness Burn, 



St. Andrews Bay, 



Kirkcaldy Bay, 



St. Andrews, 



Station IV., St. Andrews, ... 

 Forth and St. Andrews Bay.* 



Kinness Burn, 



Station V., Forth, 



St. Andrews Bay, 



3 



7-5 to 8-5 



1 



8-5 



2 



5,7 



7 



3 to 7 



1 



4 



4 



5 



1 



8 



4 



4 to 7 



7 



5 to 8 



1 



8 



1 



8-5 



4 



7 



8 



10 to 12 



1 



21 



2 



8 



2 



8, 9-5 



1 



8 



1 



6 



Large no. 



12 to 21 



* Number of larval and early post-larval forms. 



Fulton gives the spawning period of the flounder as from the beginning 

 of February to the end of June, Masterman from the beginning of March 

 to the end of June. The number of specimens partly fits in with the 

 latter period. It is strange, however, that no more specimens were 

 obtained during April. The month of March does not seem to have been 

 closely investigated for the young post-larval forms, none of the species 

 being represented. The small number of specimens is striking, especially 

 as the flounder produces more than four times the number of eggs that 

 the plaice does, and fourteen times as many as the dab. The reason for 

 this is that the flounder spawns in the inshore waters for the most part, 

 and, therefore, that the young post-larval forms are never far away from 

 land. The collections, which are taken from 7 to 10 miles to sea, contain 

 the eggs but not post-larval specimens. Another reason for the small 

 numbers is the early metamorphosis of the flounder. The pelagic free- 

 swimming stages are from 4 to 9mm. only. A number of the early 

 post-larval specimens from 4 to 6mm., which have been omitted from the 

 list, may be flounders. 



As already mentioned, the young flounders enter the harbour here 

 somewhat later than the plaice. This is remarkable, since, though 

 spawned later than those of the plaice, its eggs hatch much quicker. 



Whatever be the reason, the young flounders appear in June while the 

 plaice appear in May, and, instead of returning to the sea within a short 

 period as the plaice do, they proceed far up the streams. 



The distribution of the lemon dab is held over for the present. 



In conclusion, I desire to express my obligation to Professor M'Intosh 

 for his kindly criticism. 



