of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
163 
Table III. — Showing the Limit of Size between Mature and 
Immature Fish. 
-L Iclu ! loll. 
lllCilvib. 
XvOUUd Jjlbll. 
Inches. 
"T)l .,"„-. 
.rlaice, .... 
12 
Haddock, 
10 
(Pleuronectes platessa). 
(Gadus aglefinus). 
Lemon sole, . 
Q 
O 
oou, . . . 
2U 
(Pleuronectes micro- 
(Gadus morrhua). 
cepJialus). 
"Whiting, 
Q 
O 
Common dab, . 
a 
0 
(Gadus merlangus). 
(Pleuronectes llmanda). 
Gurnard, 
o 
8 
Flounder, 
i 
/ rn • j 7 \ 
(1 ngla gurnardus). 
(Pleuronectes flesus). 
^ai-nbii, 
on /9\ 
Witch sole, 
1 o 
1 2 
(Anarrlnchas lupus). 
(Pleuronectes cynoglossas). 
Lone? ronch dab 
6 
(Hippoglossoides lirnan- 
doides) 
Little sole, 
H 
(Solca minuta). 
Turbot, .... 
18 
(Rhombus maximus). 
Brill, .... 
16 
(Rhombus lopvis). 
Sail Fluke, 
9 
(Arnoglossus megastoma). 
At a conference of those engaged in the English East Coast fishing 
trade, recently held in Hull,* it was agreed that the term immature fish 
should be interpreted to mean 'a sole which measures less than 10 inches, 
1 a turbot or a brill which measures less than 12 inches, and a plaice which 
' measures less than 12 inches.' I have not at present sufficient informa- 
tion about the English sole to enable me to determine the maximum size 
of immature individuals ; but there can be little doubt that the size 
adopted for turbot and brill will exclude many immature specimens. 
III. THE DISTRIBUTION OF IMMATURE FISH IN 
IN-SHORE AND OFF-SHORE WATERS. 
In connection with the capture of immature fisb by various modes of 
fishing, and with any legislative enactments relating thereto, it is 
important to determine the proportional abundance of the various kinds 
of immature flat fish and round fish at various distances from shore and 
in different depths of water. Where are young fish chiefly found? 
The general belief is that young fishes specially haunt the shallow 
waters adjacent to the shore ; but it will be found that the young, and 
particularly the fry, of different kinds have very different habits in this 
respect. 
* Fish Trades Gazette, May 10, 1890, p. 9. 
