those returned to the sea are for the most part in their second 
season, and include some of the third. Those retained include some 
of the third season, and all from that age upwards. 
In the instance referred to an indication was given of the number 
of immature fish in one haul at AInmouth Bay, and commenting 
on it in my subsequent paper to the Journal of the Marine Biological 
Association, I pointed out that the immature compared with the 
saleable flounders were as 100 : 8, that the dabs similarly were as 
100 : 50, the plaice as 68 : 100. It thus appeared that the pro- 
portion of flounders and dabs m the immature condition was very 
large, while plaice were actually present in less number in the 
immature than in the mature condition. I, and everybody 
associated with me in the work, had the impression, however, that, 
speaking generally, the immature far exceeded the mature fish in 
number. 
This year, with a view to presenting more definitely the relation 
between our self-made but satisfactory enough groups, the two 
classes were counted. At first it was attempted to count the 
immature at each haul, but latterly it was deemed sufficient to 
compare the two classes for one haul — usually the first. In this 
way there was no risk of counting the same fish twice. But the 
figures got in the beginning of the season showed such variation, 
as will presently be seen, that the results we have yet got must be 
looked upon simply as indicating the proportion. 
The following table gives the numbers of a detailed examination 
of the two classes made at Druridge Bay on June 80th. 
Turbot. 
Solos. 
Dubs. 
l’luioo. 
Gumanl 
Immature (1) ... 
— .. 
— ... 
18 ... 
24 
... 21 
(21 ... 
— 
. — 
25 ... 
67 
... 12 
(3) ... 
— .. 
. — ... 
12 ... 
80 
8 
(4) ... 
— .. 
. — ... 
10 ... 
20 
7 
(5) ... 
— .. 
. — ... 
11 ... 
16 
... 16 
76 
147 
64 
Mature — total 
. 10 
.. 7 ... 
82 .. 
. 182 
... 21 
Average per haul 
. — 
.. — ... 
16 .. 
. 86 
4 
ie immature at 12 
midday, 
on 28th Jul 
y, were 
— 
— 
. 
22 ... 
40 
... 26 
The mature at the same haul were : — 
8 ... 9 ... 
7 
4 ... 38 ... 
