of the Fishery Hoard for Scotland. 
173 
men of the sandy ray (Rata circular is) was three and three-quarter inches 
broad, and was got in shallow water in St Andrews Bay. 1 1 is probable that 
very young skates and rays frequent rocky bottoms, where they are born 
and where the trawl cannot work. No 1 purse ' has ever been got in the 
trawl-net. The number of skates and rays is rather increasing than 
diminishing. 
Round Fishes. 
The total number of round fishes captured was 27,906, of which 589 
were of adult size and 27,317 immature. As has been said, the great 
number of immature round fish was due to the presence of a vast shoal of 
small whitings in the Firth of Forth in the autumn of 1889. The 
distribution of the immature round fish, according to the depth of water 
and the distance from shore, is showm in Tables V. and VI. They were 
found in the deepest water examined and in the shallowest, and at all 
distances up to twenty-two miles from shore. As in the case of immature 
flat-fish, but to a more marked degree, the proportional abundance within 
three miles from shore is less than in the waters beyond • but it would 
appear that they are relatively less numerous than young flat-fish (chiefly 
dabs), when the distance from shore is above twelve miles or thereabout. 
The average number of immature round fish per shot within three miles 
from shore was 93*6, while beyond that limit it was 383*5. The greatest 
number were taken between three and six miles off (434*7 per shot). At 
distances less than a mile comparatively few were obtained (22*9 per shot). 
At twenty-two miles from land, where there were a considerable number 
of immature flat-fish (dabs), no immature cod, haddock, or whiting, and 
only a few immature gurnard, were captured. The same result is brought 
out when the depth of water is considered. Comparatively few were 
obtained in the shallower or deeper waters, the greater number frequent- 
ing water of from twenty-five to thirty fathoms deep. There appear to be 
considerable differences in the habits of the young round fishes, e.g., cod 
and haddock, especially when only a few inches in length ; and this 
subject is well worthy of further inquiry. 
Cod (Gaelics morrhua). 
The number of cod captured by the net was 454. Of this number 
12 were of adult size and no less than 442 were immature (under twenty 
inches). The immature cod were found to be most abundant at distances 
between three and six miles from shore, but they were fairly numerous 
within three miles off. The average number per shot of the net was 27 
within three miles, and 5*5 in the waters beyond — a much larger propor- 
tion for the former than in the case of haddocks and whiting. Young 
cod also frequent quite shallow waters. By looking down the column in 
Table VI. it will be seen that they gradually increase in abundance from 
close in-shore up to between three and six miles off, and then diminish in 
numbers. In regard to the depths of water, the same regularity is not 
apparent. Immature cod were obtained in all depths up to fifty-live 
fathoms ; the greatest number were obtained in water of from ten to 
twenty fathoms deep. In the two hauls made in July, in above fifty 
fathoms (twelve miles from shore), fifteen young cod under three inches 
in length were captured. Table IV. shows that the larger proportions of 
the immature cod^ were under five inches in length, 62 measuring only 
two inches. Young cod under three inches were obtained in February, 
March, April, June, July, and October. Most of the specimens under four 
inches long were found in comparatively shallow in-shore waters. In one 
haul, in July, about a mile and a half from shore in the Moray Firth, 52 
