of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
267 
19th-25th, all were immature; males from 14 to 23 inches long and 
females from 13 J to 25 inches. In May all were immature; males up 
to 20 inches and females up to 23 inches. At Dunbar, in the end of 
January, males and females where half or three parts mature — males 26 
to 34 inches and females up to 42 inches. On February 5th, females 
35 inches and males 34 inches were fully three parts ripe. On April 1st, 
a male, 36 inches long, was got perfectly ripe three miles off. All the 
cod caught in St Andrews Bay were immature ; on March 3d, one male 
and one female, each 28 inches in length, were nearly mature. All those 
obtained at the Aberdeen, Montrose, and Moray Firth Stations were 
immature. Cod appear sometimes to spawn on the West Coast much 
nearer shore than on the East Coast. In March, of 31 caught 
about a mile east of Lismore Lighthouse, Loch Linnhe, nine were ripe. 
In April, of thirty caught about half a mile from Lismore Lighthouse, 
fourteen were mature and nine were spent. In March, three were 
mature among five caught under three miles from shore at Cantyre. 
Of shore Grounds. — Of several thousands examined by fishery officers 
along the East Coast from June till the end of January, none were ripe. 
The first ripe fish is recorded on February 8th, caught 35 to 45 miles off 
Aberdeen. All were immature at the offshore Firth stations from May 
till November. On February 14th, one male, 33 inches long, was fully 
ripe, and two females, 39 and 44 inches, nearly mature ; a female 40 
inches long was only half ripe. On March 17th, only two females, 18 
inches long, were examined ; they were immature. In April, of three 
examined, one male, 27 inches long, was ripe, and a female of 40 inches 
nearly ripe. On May 13th, a male, 26 inches long, was mature. On 
January 24th, eight miles from Dunbar, males, 32 and 33 inches long, 
and females, 25 to 30 inches, were half ripe. On February 10th, 12 
miles off, males and females, 40 inches long, were three parts mature. 
On February 4th and 5th, none of 31 cod caught in the offshore waters 
of the Moray Firth were mature ; four males, from 27 to 34 inches long, 
and two females, 34 to 36 inches, were nearly ripe. One male of 18 
inches was ' scarcely mature.' 
The cod begins spawning at the beginning of February, but the great 
period is March ; large numbers spawn in April ; in May nearly all are 
spent, but ripe males and females have been caught as late as 9th May. 
The pelagic ova of the cod were obtained by the 1 Garland ' in February 
and March in the Forth and St Andrews Bay. 
Whiting (Gadus merlangus). — The number examined was 716. 
Territorial Waters. — In the Forth a ripe male was got on May 17th, 
and a ripe female on May 2d. On June 6th, of 14 specimens, one 
female was ripe and one nearly ripe. All were immature from July to 
October. On February 13th and 14th, of twelve examined none were 
ripe, but six females, of 12 to 21 inches, were nearly mature. On March 
13th-17th, of 27 specimens, two females were mature, one 121 inches, at 
the mouth of the Firth, and the other, 9 inches long, at Station III. 
Eleven females and five males were nearly mature, some of them being at 
the inner stations. On April 19th-25th, of 34 examined, four females 
(9| to 15 inches) and one male (12 inches) were fully ripe ; two of the 
females being at an inner station (II.). In May none were ripe, but two 
females and three males were nearly ripe ; the females were 1 4 inches 
and the males from 10 to 13. In St Andrews Bay a male was nearly 
ripe on May 2d. At Dunbar, at the end of December, females from 11 J 
to 23 inches, and males from 11 J to 13 inches, were half mature. In 
January they were half mature; on February 7th and 14th, females 
