of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
181 
The proportion of immature to adult plaice captured on the off-shore 
grounds is very much less. In the territorial waters of the Forth the 
proportion was about two immature to three adults ; in the off-shore waters 
about one immature to seven adults. The proportion of immature 
lemon soles to adults was about half what it is in the territorial waters. 
The proportion of immature common dabs was also much less, but the 
proportion of immature long rough dabs was much greater. The smallest 
immature plaice captured on the off-shore grounds was nine and a half 
inches in length. In the stations within the Forth proper the smallest 
was six inches, but there were very few caught of that size. In the 
territorial waters the smallest lemon sole caught was six inches long, 
the smallest flounder six inches, the smallest long rough dab three and a 
half inches, and the smallest common dab three inches — but very few 
dabs were under five and a half inches. It may be said that this net 
very rarely captured flat-fish under six inches. In St Andrews Bay, 
the smallest plaice obtained was four inches and three-quarters in length ; 
one common dab only two and a half inches long was caught. As an 
example of the abundance of immature plaice in the territorial waters of 
St Andrews Bay, the results of one haul in about five fathoms in 
November may be mentioned. Altogether 566 plaice were captured, of 
which 552 were immature. There were 145 eleven inches in length; 
107 nine and a half inches; 228 eight inches; 66 six and a half inches, 
and 6 four and a half inches. The largest obtained was fourteen inches 
and a half long. The greatest proportion of immature to adult plaice 
occurred in St Andrews Bay in summer and autumn. In the three 
months, January, March, and April combined, the proportion was 573 
adults to 288 immature; in June 139 adults to 583 immature; in 
August 334 adults to 921 immature; in October 151 adults to 355 
immature; and in November 114 adults to 752 immature. 
The details of the 1534 immature round fishes taken by the beam- 
trawl are given in the following Table : — 
Cod. 
Haddock. 
Whiting. 
Gurnard. 
Cat-fish. 
Ling. 
Mat. 
Im. 
Mat. 
Im. 
Mat. 
Im. 
Mat. 
Im. 
Mat. 
Im. 
Mat. 
Im. 
Firth of Forth, . 
182 
689 
1352 
94 
1032 
321 
916 
199 
31 
5 
4 
1 
St Andrews Bay, 
10 
5 
30 
3 
14 
39 
465 
198 
Totals, 
192 
694 
1382 
97 
1046360 
1381 
377 
31 
5 
4 
1 
The proportion of immature haddocks captured was not very large 
(under seven per cent.) ; that of whiting was larger, being about one to 
every three adults ; while nearly four immature cod were caught for 
every adult. Sixty-five of the ninety-four immature haddocks caught at 
the Forth stations were obtained at the off-shore grounds, chiefly in 
September, October, and November ; the others being got at the mouth 
of the Forth. On the other hand, only thirty-six of the immature cod 
were off-shore, the great majority being caught well up the firth. The 
majority of the immature whitings were also caught in the firth proper, 
mainly from August to November. 
The smallest cod taken in the net was four inches and a half long, in 
November ; there were a few at six and seven inches, and a considerable 
number at nine and ten inches. The smallest haddock was four inches 
in length. Six of this size were captured at the off-shore stations in 
