of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
203 
of each as to vitality was registered by Mr T. Scott, F.L.S., the 
naturalist on board the * Garland,' so that this investigation has been 
made on a scale sufficiently extensive for definite conclusions to be drawn 
from it. The fish were measured, and the living and dead recorded 
separately, so that adult specimens could be distinguished from those 
which were immature. In addition to the registering of their condition 
on reaching the deck, a number of the fish were placed in a large tub on 
board the vessel, through which a continuous stream of sea-water flowed, 
in order to test the probability of their survival or death if returned to 
the sea. The results of these observations are referred to below. 
Of the total number of fish caught in these experiments, 8148 were 
flat-fish, and 5180 were round-fish. The number of adult specimens 
was 6955, and the number of immature was 6373. Among the flat-fish, 
4846 were of adult size, and 3302 w^ere immature ; among the round-fish 
there were 2109 adults, and 3071 immature. The condition as to 
vitality of the various species is shown in the accompanying table : — 
Living. 
Dead. 
Totals. 
ixrand 
Total. 
Adult. 
Imma- 
ture. 
Adult. 
Imma- 
ture. 
Living, 
Dead. 
Round-fish — 
Cod, . . . 
Haddock, 
Whiting, . . 
Gurnard, . . 
196 
336 
848 
349 
1,288 
11 
605 
374 
"25 
326 
29 
60 
6 
511 
216 
1,484 
347 
1,453 
723 
60 
31 
837 
245 
1,544 
378 
2,290 
968 
Total, . . 
1,729 
2,278 
380 
793 
4,007 
1,173 
5,180 
Flat-fish — 
Plaice, . . 
Lemon Sole, . 
Common Dab, 
Long Rough 
Dab, . . 
Flounder, 
Witch Sole, . 
Turbot, . . 
Brill, . . . 
Common Sole, 
1,971 
540 
1,190 
864 
77 
38 
6 
1 
5 
2,133 
193 
516 
279 
8 
5 
1 
1 
10 
86 
57 
4 
21 
14 
128 
4,104 
733 
1,706 
1,143 
85 
43 
7 
1 
5 
5 
31 
100 
185 
4,109 
764 
1,806 
1,328 
85 
43 
7 
1 
5 
Total, . . 
4,692 
3,135 
154 
167 
7,827 
321 
8,148 
Grand Total, 
6,421 
5,413 
534 
960 
11,834 
1,494 
13,328 
It will be seen that, taking all the kinds of fish together, there were 
11,834 landed from the net alive and 1494 dead ; that is to say, 88*7 per 
cent, of the fish were living when the record was made immediately after 
the net was hauled, and 11*2 per cent, were dead. A very much larger 
proportion of round-fish than flat-fish succumbed. Thus of the 5180 
round-fisli ca[)tured, 1173, or 22*6 per cent., wore dead; while of the 
8148 flat-tish only 321, or 3*8 per cent., were dead. Tliis sliows the 
much greater tenacity of life among flat-fishes — at all events, so far as 
trawling operations are concerned. 
It will be noticed that the tenacity of life varies very much among the 
different species. Skates and rays, which are not included in the tables, 
