of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
263 
specimens were mature or nearly mature. At the end of May 1890, of 
17 females, six were ripe (5 J to 8 inches) and a number nearly ripe. On 
February 7th, none of twelve, obtained from 20 to 25 miles S. E. of 
Montrose, were mature ; but seven were nearly ripe. Eipe males and 
females were therefore obtained in the territorial waters in March, April, 
May, and June ; and ripe males in July ; and ripe individuals of both 
sexes in the offshore waters in May and August ; ripe males alone in 
February and March ; and ripe females alone in June and July. 
The common dab, therefore, spawns both offshore and in territorial 
waters, but chiefly in the latter. It seems to spawn almost anywhere ; 
and the spawning time extends from March to June or July ; probably 
chiefly in May. 
The pelagic ova of the common dab were obtained by the 1 Garland 7 
at the following places : — St Andrews Bay ; at Stations IV. and V. on 
March 26 th ; at Station I. on 28th March. In the Firth of Forth, near 
May Island, on February 22nd ; Station VIII., 18th March; and East of 
Inchkeith, 21st March (abundant). 
Witch Sole (Pleuronectes cynoglossus). — I have collected and compared 
all the data relating to the specimens of this species since June, 1888 In 
all, 223 specimens were examined, 69 males and 154 females. The ripe 
specimens were eleven in number ; one male and ten females ; there were 
also eleven females spent. Those nearly mature numbered 43 ; 18 males 
and 25 females. Ten of the fully ripe specimens were obtained offshore ; 
the nine females at the Forth Stations VIII. & IX., three in May and six 
towards the end of July. The single ripe male was got near Liston Bank, 
about 15 miles off, in October. Of the eleven spent females, two were 
got at Station VIII., in August, two at the same station in November; 
and the rest near this station, also in August and November. The 
nearly ripe specimens were also mostly caught at Stations VIII. or IX ; 
two were obtained in July in the Moray Firth, in 53 fathoms, about 
twelve miles off ; others were got near the mouth of the Firth of Forth. 
The nearly mature individuals were obtained in March, April, May, and 
especially in June. The witch sole is uncommon in the territorial waters. 
It spawns offshore, and not in the territorial waters. The spawning time 
appears to be May, June, July, and perhaps August. The ova do not yet 
seem to have been obtained in the ' Garland's 7 tow-nets. 
Floundee (Pleuronectes flesus). — I have also studied the data as to 
the spawning of the flounder which have been collected since June 1888. 
It is one of the very few sea-fishes in which the males are more numerous 
than the females. The number of specimens examined was 217; 122 
males and 95 females. They were obtained chiefly in the Firth of Forth 
and St Andrews Bay. A very large proportion were ripe ; viz., 76 — 41 
males and 35 females, and nine were spent. Mature individuals were got 
at all the stations in St Andrews Bay. They were 57 in number, 25 
males and 32 females ; and were obtained from March 1 9th to May 2nd. 
In March and April, fifteen ripe females and thirteen ripe males 
were caught, in May nineteen ripe males and ten ripe females. 
In the Firth of Forth ripe males and females were obtained in February, 
two on 13th March, April and May, and one ripe female was got in June. 
In the Forth ripe individuals were obtained at stations I., II., III., IV., 
VII., and VIII.; most of them at the stations pretty well up the estuary. 
The spawning of the flounder is of interest from the proportionally 
large number of ripe specimens caught, and some details may be given. 
In St Andrews Bay, for instance, on the 26th and 27th of March, 1890, 
males of from 8 to 10 J inches were ripe, and there were twelve ripe males 
