a os New Series, IV. Saar Ree? a DOVE MARINE LABORATORY, CULLERCOATS, NORTHUMBERLAND. REPORT For the year ending June, 1915. Epitep By ALEXANDER MEEK, PRoFEssor OF ZooLtoGy, ARMSTRONG COLLEGE, IN THE UNIVERITY oF DURHAM, AND DIRECTOR OF THE Dove Marine LABORATORY. Published by the Marine Laboratory Conunittee of Armstrong College on behalf of the Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committee and other contributing authorities. Price = = Five Shillings. Rewcastle=-upon=Tyne : CAIL & SONS, PRINTERS, 29 AND 31, QUAYSIDE. Marine Laboratory Committee. PrincrpaAL W. H. Hapow. Proressor A. MEEK. ALDERMAN J. CROMIE. W. S. VAUGHAN. Proressor G. A. LEBOUR. GEORGE WILKINSON. ALDERMAN R. MAson. CHARLES WILLIAMS. CouUNCILLOR J. W. MEADOwWs. F. H. Pruen, M.A., Secretary. Staff. DIRECTOR” - - - Proressorn A. MEEK. Assistant NATURALIST- BENJAMIN STORROW. CONTE NPS: SUMMARY AND GENERAL REPORT nat Bus THe MIGRATIONS OF THE GREY GURNARD ... By ALEXANDER MEEK. HERRING INVESTIGATIONS ae = ats By B. Srorrow. MIGRATIONS OF THE DaB oA aoe ax By ALEXANDER MEEK. MIGRATIONS OF THE LOBSTER AND THE CRAB By ALEXANDER MEEK. REMARKABLE CASE OF ‘* PARENTAL’’ CARE IN THE By ALEXANDER MEFK. Some New Points on AvutTotoMy AMONG CRUSTACEA .;. ais ee ee abe By J. Hersert PAvu. Note ON A HMOGREGARINA IN Raia batis ... By T. BentTHAm. THE AGE AND GROWTH OF THE PILCHARD ... By. B. Srorrow. Faunistic Nortss... eae fee oat 5 By B. Strorrow. GENUS CoTTUS THE DEcCAPOD 16 40 42 44 53 54 oe —— = ——----— = : —— —— a =~ = - — % 4 & | 2 : 2 DOVE MARI : LABORATORY, CULLERCOATS. SUMMARY AND GENERAL REPORT. The work of the Laboratory during the past year has naturally been restricted, but the members of the staff, in addition to identifying themselves with military activities in the district, have been useful to the Board and the inshore fisher- men in connexion with regulations relating to fisheries, and the question of possible distress. The Laboratory’s motor boat ‘“Eivadne”’ has since the end of last summer been lent to the Admiralty. The Report therefore deals for the most part with work done in the Laboratory. This Report, like the last, is concerned to a large extent in a consideration of the principles underlying the migration of fish. In the paper on the migrations of the gurnard, it is shown that the young are gathered in a region which may be called the recruiting ground, and that up to the time of maturity they migrate inshore in summer and offshore in winter. After the denatant (see note page 14) drift of the egg and larve the recruits of the Northumberland school of gurnards migrate inshore, and still denatantly. This is followed at the end of the second summer by an offshore and contranatant migration. Thereafter, with growth, the contranatant winter migration becomes more and more marked, the larger immature gurnards moving further to the north and into deeper water, the result being a segregation according to size and depth. When mature the gurnard migrates still further in the contranatant direction, and it is more than probable joins the spawning migrants of a school of another region, if not at the first, at a subsequent 6 season of ripening. The gurnard thus has a life history similar to that of the northern migrants described in the last report. A few further interesting recaptures of marked dabs, lobsters and a crab are reported, which add to our knowledge of the migration of the mature in these species. The paper by Mr. Storrow on the investigations relating to the herrings, deals with part of the work done at the Laboratory last year. A synopsis is given of the particulars relating to size, age and maturity of the samples, which totalled about 3,200 herrings. The Dogger Bank herrings on this occasion could not be investigated, as the region was closed to fishing, and this was the more regrettable as in the previous years we had found that the homogeneity of the school was evidenced by the dominance of successive year groups amongst the immature. The herrings of the Northumberland and Yorkshire coastal waters were subjected however to a careful analysis, according to the method agreed upon. Attention is drawn to the difference in age-composition between the North- umberland and Yorkshire trawled herrings, and to the fact that year after year the Northumberland herring present a large percentage with three winter rings. Mr. Herbert Paul has contributed an account of his work on the autotomy of the limbs in Decapod Crustacea. He has described the result of his investigations leading to interesting conclusions as to the structural and physiological features which bring about the weakening at the breaking plane; and the difference as to the motive between Macrura and Brachyura. 7 Mr. T. Bentham has described in a short note a Hemo- eregarina which he found in a small example of the common skate, Raia batis. A remarkable case of “ parental” care'in the Genus Cottus was observed in a tank in April this year, and a note with regard to itis given. The group of eggs was laid by a Cottus scorpius and the guardianship was assumed by an immature female Cottus bubalis. Pilchards evidently annually migrate into the North, Sea in summer, and are caught in herring nets. Mr. Storrow has examined a small sample of these spent fish, and gives inter- esting particulars as to age-composition and growth. Attention is drawn to the records given under the title ‘“Faunistic Notes.” So large a number of eggs of plaice, flounder, cod and whiting appeared in the tanks during the last few years that it was thought worth while to place them in the sea off Cullercoats. It was estimated that this spring the numbers liberated were plaice 337,000, cod 203,000, whiting 65,000. ALEXANDER MEEK. 30TH JUNE, 1915. THE MIGRATIONS OF THE GREY GURNARD, Trigla gurnardus. By ALEXANDER MEEK. The earlier Northumberland trawling experiments indicated that gurnards migrated into the bays along the coast in summer, and that they were more numerous in the southern bays than in the northern. The later experiments allow of the facts regarding their distribution being better expressed in figures (Table I.). The annual invasion of the Northumberland inshore waters, it will be seen, is subject to a good deal of variation. There are good seasons in which all the bays participate, and bad seasons which also affect the whole of the region. But a glance over the figures plainly indicates that the two middle bays, Almmouth and Druridge, which are only about three miles apart, receive usually the greatest numbers, and in years of plenty as 1900, 1902, 1909 and 1913 this feature is particularly well exemplified. On the average, if may be said that these mid-Northumberland bays afford about 50 gurnards per hour’s trawling in the summer. The southern stations which are also close together yield about 16 gurnards, and the northern ones about three (fig. 1). From the report for the year 1908 (Table IV., page 21) it will be evident that the gurnards arrive in Alnmouth Bay in April, and in Druridge and Blyth Bays in May, and leave the inshore regions about October or November. The immigration becomes most intense, however, in June and July, reaching a maximum in July and August at Alnmouth, and in August in the southern parts of the district. A consideration of the results of the trawling experiments made in 1913 (see Report, new series, III., 1914, Table III, page 23) will be found to illustrate with reference to one season the features of the migration which have been found to be practically constant for a large number of years. The results are expressed in figure 2. At Alnmouth the catches from May to September 10 averaged 360 per hour, the catch of November Ist, 4; at Druridge the summer catches for the same period averaged 49, the November, 3. Figure 2 conveys the impression that the wave of gurnards reaches Alnmouth first and passes onwards to Blyth, that the spring or early summer maximum of Druridge expands into the single maximum of Blyth, and that Druridge again expresses by a second maximum the return of the gurnards to the north. It is tolerably certain that in 1913, in August, Druridge suffered a temporary relapse in the number of gurnards for it was visited twice during the month, and on both occasions the same feature was experienced. It is probable therefore that when the gurnards arrive in shallow water they continue for a period to move southwards along the coast. This would serve to explain the double maximum in Aln- mouth Bay, and this it must be said has been noted to be general. But it is not necessary to conclude therefrom that the gurnards of Druridge migrate to Blyth, but rather that the maxima express the general movement to the south when the fish reach the coast, and that Blyth lies near the distal end of the school. The details of measurements are given in the same Report (Table II., pages 12 to 22), and those referring to Alnmouth Bay are represented in the form of a diagram in figure 3. The curves indicate with reference to size the catch per hour each month. It is not necessary to point out that there is an increase culminating in August, and that already in September the greater part of the fish had already left. The figures for August were so great as to render it necessary to show the curve in a broken manner as will be readily evident. This presentation of the conditions in Alnmouth Bay for 1913 makes it clear that the migration concerns mainly the young, immature gurnards. Of these also it is evident that the smaller appear first, and that the size gradually increases during the season. The small number of older and mature fish appear late. It is also clear that they depart in the same order. The conclusion is warranted then that the young small fish come from a region near at hand, while the larger ones migrate from distances which increase with size. It has been natural to assume from such a presentation of results of experiments that the change in the maximum from 16 cm. in June and July to 18 cm. in August indi- cates growth. But it is not in the light of the facts of the migra- \1 tion at all unlikely that the increase in size is due to a segregation even of the fish of a given year according to size and depth. The following notes will render the picture clear with reference to the other bays. In May, the gurnards at Druridge were larger than at Alnmouth, and at Blyth the few gurnards were all large. In June and July the conditions were practically unchanged. In August, the few gurnards at Druridge were medium and large, and the young gurnards had arrived at Blyth. In September, Druridge received a further accession of medium and large, and only two small were captured at Blyth. The school of gurnards, the summer conditions of which have been described, may be called the Northumberland school. The next school te the north is one which may be styled the Forth school. The trawling investigations made with the “ Garland,’ and the later investigations made with the “ Goldseeker ” serve to indicate that the summer inshore migration is practically the same as that of the Northumberland. The following figures give the ‘* Garland ” results for the years 1888-1893, and the “* Goldseeker ” results for the period 1903-1909.* “Garland.” ‘** Goldsecker.’’ St. Andrew’s Bay ... Pee 59 ie ane Forth Station 6 tua Sag BY) a 13°7 ‘. Pa vcs: oe 28 11-2 4 35 4:2 el 21 9:2 The region to the south of the Forth, including the northern half of Northumberland, may be regarded as the southern distal part of this school. Only small numbers of young gurnards reach this part, the majority of the gurnards being large mature spent fish which enter the region after spawning. There is a slight degree of evidence (from a visit to Blackhall Bay, Hartlepool, in August, 1897, when the gurnard catch per hour was found to be 33) that another school visits the southern Durham and northern Yorkshire coast. These schools therefore only occur inshore in the summer from about May to September or October. But there are early and late seasons. Not only so, the figures in Table I. serve to show that the school may occupy a more southerly position in some seasons as in 1904-1908, due evidently to seasonal variations in the drift of the fry. * See also Fulton, 17th and 21st Ann. Reps. Fish. Bd. for Scot. (1899, 1906), 12 Manifestly when the gurnards leave the inshore waters they migrate out to sea, and judging from the results with relation to the migrations of the plaice (report for last year, new series, ITI., 1914) it may be presumed that the outward migration is to the north. The local trawlers obtain small gurnards in small quantities off the coast of Northumberland, but they increase in numbers to the north, and reach a maximum in numbers and in size to the north-east of the Longstone. In this region the gurnards are most plentiful from November to May. This it would not be easy to give in figures without a considerable degree of trouble. It would mean analysing the North Shields records of the local catches made by trawlers, but it indicates in words the experience of the trawlers. It may be said therefore that the Northumberland school of eurnards winters offshore opposite the northern part of the county and that the members are spread over a wide area, the small gurnards in shallow water and to the south, and the larger gurnards in deeper water and more to the north. It is not to be supposed that they migrate to a particular spot and stay there, but this is the average result of a general movement. In the spring, the school migrates as a whole southwards and towards the coast, the small arriving first and the larger later as the foregoing investiga- tions have shown. It may further be concluded that the inshore migration results in a concentration of the members of the school, and that during the winter migration the segregation becomes more manifest (fig. 4). : The other schools on the east coast will probably be found to be related similarly to winter grounds situated to the north-east of the summer feeding area. The explanation of the origin of the schools must obviously be sought in the fact that the fish assemble in certain areas for spawning. The spawning season of the gurnard is April to August. The egg is a‘pelagic one, measuring 1-2 to 1-5 mm. in diameter, and hatching takes place after from a weeck’s to a fortnight’s oscillation in the tidal currents, resulting, however, in a drift to the south in the regions now under consideration. . The larva on emergence measures about 3-5 mm. and is pelagic also. The drift is continued while the larva is growing, but the young gurnard gradually sinks in the water and finally after a period which cannot 13 be definitely stated it reaches the bottom. It may be said then to be about 1 cm. in length. During its pelagic life the young gurnard develops large pectoral fins which will enable it to some extent to resist the current. But the conditions are such as to cause a gathering on the bottom over a wide area, and varying in depth, say, from about 5 to 30 fathoms of the products of a parti- cular spawning ground (fig. 5). If we had the means to examine such an area in the latter part of the year we should expect to get a picture of the population of the young gurnards of the year which would be very similar to that expressed in fig. 1 of this paper. These young gurnards would also be found to vary in size because of the long spawning period, and probably they do not move far if at all during the first winter. But in spring they migrate inshore, and measure from 7 to 12 cm. (one year). At the end of the summer they retreat into somewhat deeper water without as a rule quitting the territorial region, and re-enter the bays along the coast a second time when they measure 13 to 20 cm. (two years). The succeeding winter migration carries them still further north and into deeper water, and on their return to the shore they have attained a size of from 18 to 24 cm. (three years). It is very probable that at the end of this season inshore the majority of the males and some of the females become mature, and the result will be to intensify the distance of the winter migration, from which they will return to a spawning ground ; and from what we know with regard to other species it may be said this need not be the one from which they originated, but one still further to the north (fig. 6). The life-history of the gurnard may be concluded therefore to be :— 1—A denatant drift of a number of weeks in the egg and larval stages, a gradual sinking in the water, and the coming to rest in depths of from 5-30 fathoms, but for the most part in 10-25 fathoms. 2.—Next spring a denatant migration inshore, and a concen- tration of the products of the previous year’s spawning season. 3.—A’contranatant migration into deeper water again at the end of the summer. 4.—Thereafter a seasonal migration from deep water to shallow water, and as in the previous cases the spring migration heing from 14 the north and the autumn migration to the north (east coast of Britain, north of the Wash). With increase in size the outward migration is still further to the north and into deeper water. 5.—Coming maturity impels the fish to migrate in winter contranatantly to a still greater distance from which it will return with the spawning migrants. It is probable if not on the first occasion at some succeeding season the outward migration may be such as to associate the fish with spawners of a region related to another school. So far as is known this is usually if not always in the contranatant direction. 6.—After spawning the spent fish join the summer denatant migrants and migrate later than these and evidently further than these for winter. If the contention be admitted that the schools owe their origin—and there does not appear to be any other explanation— to the showering of the young on the ground in a region which must bear an average relationship to the spawning ground on the one hand and to the summer feeding ground on the other, it follows that if we knew the factors, the history in this and similar cases could be completely stated. We do not yet know the spawning ground of each of the schools, the normal period of pelagic life, the region where the demersal fry are mainly con- gregated in each case, and the mean rate of the current during the spawning season in different regions. Notre.—In this and the following papers dealing with migrations, two words with their variants are introduced to express migrations with refer- ence to current. They were suggested by my colleague, Professor J. Wight Duff. Denatant is applied to migrations with the current, and contranatant to migrations against the current. In the sea particularly the eggs and the larve or the larve alone are rotated by the tidal currents, and at the same time carried passively in a definite direction by the oceanic current. The path may be represented by a spiral beginning over the spawning ground and ending at the recruiting ground. This passive denatant drift is succeeded by the seasonal and the spawning contranatant and denatant migrations. The use of the terms will be clear from the above paper and figures 4—6.* *1915, Meek, “‘ Nature,” p. 231 (April 29th). Skate Roads osmick Alnmovuth Druridge Cmbos Blyth FIG. L—Tue Averace Catco PER Hour oF GURNARDS BY THE EXPERIMENTAL TRAWL NET AT THE NORTHUMBERLAND STATIONS. 400 /\ 300 / \ \ ty 200 J} \i 4 / y | 100|_ !00 Druridge y wn | \ ”, \ May June July Aug. Sep Oct Mow FIG. I].—Tue Catcues or Gurnarps IN 1913 at THE Sratrons NAMED. we aT) cues oo ee = 7 ry? ; -. $ i i~ — Pm ‘ — > ‘ a i a 4 i 2 ~ 7 ~ 7 > - i e ' _ a * ¢ | 4 ” > {oa 5 £ = 4 * : 6 ae - ar “ie e : os ha ¢ = = Y — oat - 7 » 4 : 5 ~~ Ls _* ' ey < F : “i ; = rh - - ‘ 7 > 5 . ; i = i: aan - i , : b 4 7 : 2 n _¥ 4 7 4 ny i on eae ee ee a * s ce eB \ ’ - he ’ ~ ' i ‘ Ie wero e 7 1 _ i re v ~ November a ee aC) ne OEE a) ne Eee Lon POhey) ci) eo ees FIG. 11L—Tue Carcnrs or Gurvarps at AtNMoura Bay 1n 1913 IN SuccEssIVvE Monts. on Q tT . _ Ps i ~ P “ | < ' ti 5 pe eS . , ; . "y = a Si en ee TT Se AO ET I y iS \ sn siacebe, = Buaic &* eh av is at Seahowse ecduell Ty y 1 Winker } 4 Denitenboros k Ce 4% Gencice 2 si oi Boulmer a ; OE As?) HameouthB , a eg ungt FIG. 1V.—TuHeE MIGRATION OF THE GREY GURNARD. O = Recruiting ground of school, and I-IV. the positions of the migrants as a_ result of the annual summer denatant and winter contranatant migrations. - { . . J 6 b. hae ‘CUVNUOAL) AMU) WIL 10 SNOLLVUDIP, AHL AO NOMVINASAUdAY OLLVNNVUOVIG—TA ‘HiT \ Memes SON A, i TE EIS HHL dO LAIUq GNVLYNAQ AH, Puness Guy insoay hy jeshoulosg Nag pel i AEA tte ' t i { ta Play 1 ease AMAA RAISIN A TINE AAR AR A ee TR nn acon eer alates tt Shas Nab AM SOON SEE NMG ANT A CIR OM LT IT “SONQNOK GNV SDDO “GUVNUNL) AGU) ANL AO SNOLLVUDIIN CN? Peat me Ny Of 6e)a4 ' 5 PLUNOL A an jumeds ego heee, Fesgrivn y Cer Tae ears Shh Be Se 12 | . alan ad et 4 < . = col | — = 13 OF FG ie Wea = = { Or 8 91 eal a aad al. z= = Gé 6P om reat 9& 0& Iv G9 o9s | — om LT SIT | &€ g 91 i mR a I 8 iT = = = at = —_ “UvOTL Peek | "CrOL*) EEG -| OLGL | ‘606T | *806T 9G 86 ral L 61 cP g GE él FG II Il él G g GI a | Drift 6 250 | 12th July ...| 28 miles E.S.H. of Tyne apr ae ea ED ELLG Tf 250 | 20th July ...| 20 miles BE. by S. of Tyne ... aus soe) rit 8 250 | 27th July ...| 20 miles N.E. by E.3E. of Tyne ee ee TILE 9 250 | 5th August ...| 23 miles E.N.E. of Tyne a8 in aheDritt 10 250 | 24th August ...| 23 miles N.I'. of Tyne... oa nt ...| Trawl 11 205 8th September 30 miles 8.E. by E. of Hartlepool ... eee DTith 12 200 30th September | 70 miles E.S.E. southerly of Tyne ... ..-| Lrawl 13 200 | 12th October ...| 75 miles S.E. by E.3H. of Tyne 5 ae ...| Trawl S1zE.—Particulars relating to the size of the herrings examined will be found in Table I. As in 19138, the fish have been grouped to the nearest centimetre, 20-6 to 21-5 cm. being counted as 21cm., and the numbers obtained expressed in percentages.* In 1913, the length was measured from the snout to the middle of the fork of the tail when in its natural position, whilst in 1914 the upper lobe of the tail was moved so that its upper edge was parallel to the mid line of the body ; this gave a difference in favour of the 1914 measurements of from 2 to 3 mm. in herrings from 22 to 25 em. in length. The first sample consisted of fairly large fish, the majority being from 25 to 26 cm. and more in length. Sample 2 has been referred to already as a sample of small herrings, and as will be seen from the table, was composed mainly of fish from 21 to 23 cm. long. * Report, 1914, New Scries, III., page 60, line 3, jor 20°5 to 21:4 cm. read 20°6 to 21°5 cm. 18 The herrings taken off the Northumberland coast from June to August varied in size from 19 to 30 cm., the greater part of them being fish from 23 to 25 cm. long, and differing little from those of 1913. In August, the samples contained slightly smaller fish than those of the previous year, but it will be seen later that this may be due in some part to the locality where the samples were captured. Sample 11 consisted of fairly large herrings, the highest numbers obtaining from 25 to 27 cm. The trawl caught herrings were larger than those from the Northumberland coast, and as in 1913 the greater part of them were from 24 to 28 cm. in length. In this respect they agree somewhat with sample 11, but a consideration of the age composi- tion of the samples will show that they belong to a different shoal, AGE.—For the purpose of comparison as to age composition, the samples can be grouped according to the regions where captured, which are 100 miles east of the Tyne, the Northumberland coast, the Yorkshire coast off Whitby (sample 11), and the Yorkshire — coast trawled herring ground. The difference between the age composition of the samples from these regions and where possible a comparison with herrings obtained from the same grounds in 1913 are shown graphically in Chart II., and Table II. gives the numbers and percentages of herrings having different numbers of winter rings in each sample. The first sample differs from the others in being composed of older herrings, the predominant year groups being those with four and five winter rings, whilst there is a fairly high percentage, 17, of fish with six winter rings. The scales showed .that the summer growth had commenced only a short time previous to the capture of the fish, and in some of the older individuals the edge of the scale and the last winter ring practically comcided. This was the case in all with eight or nine winter rings, in 75 per cent. of those with seven, and 15 per cent. of those with six winter rings. Sample 2, caught 19th May, had for its predominant year groups fish with two and three winter rings; there was only 7:7 per cent. of the catch not included in these two year groups. Samples 3 to 9 inclusive, taken from the 8th of June to the 5th of August, and representing the ordinary summer herring of 19 the Northumberland coast, consisted chiefly of herrings with three winter rings, as was the case in 1913. The age composition of the samples taken in 1913 and 1914 during the same months was as follows :— WINTER RINGS. Samples, 1 2; 3) 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1913—A-G a 13-2 47-2, 30:8 8:6 0-1 . Are aes Be 1914—3-9 ... 0-2 24:5 53°7 14-6 4:8 1:5 0-5 0:2 QO-1 0-1 It will be noticed that there is some variation for fish with two and four winter rings, and also that the percentage of herrings with more than five winter rings is again very small. It would appear then that during 1913 and 1914 the local herring grounds have been more of a nursery for developing fish than a spawning ground for the mature. Hjort has recorded for the Northumberland coast for 1911 a predominance of herrings with three winter rings,* and this we have found to characterise them in the years 1912-14. Younger fish are no doubt to be found nearer the coast, but any quantity of these, owing to the selective nature of the drift net, has not yet been obtained. Sample 10, although caught by the trawl, differs little from samples 3 to 9 as regards age composition. It is without doubt a sample of the same class of fish, and has therefore been included when drawing the curve on Chart IT. The herrings from 30 miles 8.E. by E. from Hartlepool, and as will be seen from Chart I. caught nearer the shore than samples 3 to 10, are of interest as being on the whole older than those from the Northumberland coast. Although. the predominant year class had three winter rings, the number of fish with two winter rings was smaller than in any of the Northumberland samples, and comprised only 4:5 per cent. of the sample. Of fish with four and five winter rings there were 24:0 and 14-5 per cent. respectively. The two samples of trawled herrings from the Yorkshire coast ground had an average age composition as follows :— WINTER RINGS. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ila ay 13 1:0 85 248 16:0 288 10:5 4:0 2:3 tes 1:0 0:3 0:3 0:8 * Rapports et Proces-Verbaux des Réunions, vol. xx., page 69. 20 In 1913, the predominant year class for these herrings had four winter rings. There is no doubt then that we are dealing here with an altogether different shoal of fish from the drift net herring of the Northumberland coast. Had they belonged to the same shoal and been recruited from the Northumberland coast herring as these approached maturity, there should have been in 1914 not only a high percentage of fish with five winter rings, but also a still higher percentage with four winter rings, seeing that in 1913 almost 50 per cent. of the Northumberland coast herring had then three winter rings. The question then arises as to what becomes of the Northum- berland coast herring on approaching maturity. There is at present little evidence to throw any light on this point, but the following suggestion is put forward. It will be noticed that the fish of sample 11, captured further to the south than those of samples 3 to 10, were on the whole older than those from our local waters. In 1909, Hjort had samples of herrings taken at Grimsby and Lowestoft, and the age composi- tion of these was as follows :—* WINTER RINGS. 2, 33 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 abit 12 Grimsby— 30/9/1909 ... 3:3 29°2 42:7 18:9 52 1:9 1-2 1:9 0:6 wee Lowestoit— OM 1909" .. 125 7-0) 25-1 © 26:6 7 03-8 9-9 10:2 2°5 1:7 0:7 0-2 Lowestoft is further to the south than Grimsby, and is in the vicinity of what must be regarded with our present knowledge as the chief spawning ground of the southern North Sea herring. It is evident that the young herrings during larval and post- larval stages are carried some considerable distance from the spawning ground, and pass their first year in relatively shallow waters. In the next year they partake of a summer migration still in a denatant direction. The summer migration has a corres- ponding winter contranatant migration. These migrations con- tinue yearly, the fish migrating into deeper water each winter, and returning towards the coast each summer until the call of maturity comes, when they join the spawning migrants, probably the summer after the fourth or fifth winter ring has been formed. * Publications de Circonstance, No, 53, pp. 144 and 151. 21 Further evidence is necessary and would probably be obtained by taking samples of herrings at different localities along the coast between Northumberland and Lowestoft. If these samples were taken during the height of the herring season at the various ports, they would admit of comparison being made for this purpose. A somewhat similar distribution for the young, and migration towards the spawning ground on approaching maturity have been shown by Hjort and Lea from a consideration of the 1904 year class, marked herrings, of Norway. SizE AND AGE.—Particulars relating to size and age will be found in Table III., and for the purpose of comparison the herrings examined during 1913 have been similarly arranged and classified in Table IIIa. The average sizes, as calculated from the table, of the different year groups in the samples of the Northumberland coast herring are as follows :— WINTER RINGS. Sample. 2 3 4 Month. 2, PANS 22°5 24-1 May. 8 22:0 23°9 25°7 June. 4. 22-1 23°3 yaa GR June. 5 21-8 23°4 25-1 July. 6 22-9 24:0 25°5 July. Vi 22-3 23°5 25-4 July. 8 23°6 24-4 25°8 July. 9 22-4 24-1 25-4 August. 10 22°3 23°8 25°5 August. The samples examined in 1913 which admit of comparison had the following average sizes :— WINTER RINGS. Sample. p24 = 4 Month. A wen oe Dore, seo BAtl, “xe. June; B yb Za°2 ese. 24°)... JUNE: C 221 23°O: 12.3, 524-5 Vs. Aug D 21-9 2a'Ge 2.2% 24-5. 2. SUL E 23°4 24:2 ... 24:9 ... August. F 23-2 249 ... 25:4 ... August. G 23°70 24°35) 36 25227) 3. GAUIOUST: Taking into consideration the difference between the two methods of determining the total length, there is little difference between the size of the herrings with two and three winter rings, but those with four winter rings were larger in June and July than the fish of similar age in 1913. The herrings of 1913 showed some increase in size during the three months under consideration, but apparently the same cannot be said for those in the samples of 1914. oe o In last year’s Report, page 63, it was shown that during the first and second weeks in September a change took place in the local herring shoals, there being an immigration of fish with two and three winter rings having a smaller growth increase for 1913 than those previously forming the shoals. These immigrants -were spoken of as being probably later migrants into the North Sea, but it is very doubtful if young fish of this age partake of such an extensive migration. Similar changes in the composition of — our local shoals may have taken place in 1914, and may account for the apparent lack of growth. In 1913, the June, July and first August samples were taken further to the north than the others, and it is probable that the same shoal may have been followed south by the fishermen, thus bringing about the gradual increase in growth as shown by the samples. If the localities from whence the samples were obtained be arranged from north to south, and the age composition of the samples and the average size of the fish having from two to four winter rings be plotted irrespective of date of capture, as in Chart _ | IIT., it will be seen that the locality of capture nearest the middle of the area from which the samples came furnished not only the greatest number of the youngest herrings but, generally speaking, the smallest fish for their age. This would seem to point to some segregation not only according to age but also according to size. The more rapidly grown younger herrings evidently joined those which were older, and the slower grown fish with three winter rings remained in the district where those with two winter rings were more plentiful. The curves drawn suggest that the regions which yielded samples 5 and 10 were similar to that from which sample 7 was obtained. In the trawled herring samples the size of the fish according to age was practically the same as in 1913. ~~ The Yorkshire coast drift net herring, sample 11, are of interest as the average size of fish with two winter rings was 24-7 em., with three winter rings 25-2 cm., and with four winter rings 26-2 cm. They were larger for their age than any of our local herrings, and as been pointed out the sample was captured further south than samples 3 to 10, and contained more older fish. In sample 3 there was a fish with ten winter rings, the scales of which showed a smaller growth during the third year than the tandor. oe Dunstan Ciao Cad /0 f 'G Hartlepool ‘ HERRING INVESTIGATIONS.—CHART I. AZ 13 = 1G/4. Sample | \ (G4e Sample H | (tty Samples (2 /3— I /\ WIZ" PRS To Pi ik ae Pr 2 i Oa 30 Vans 4 : : aa si /0 we - ra oa (see eee (8; ‘ = t f 4O f Te ee 10 ——— / 3 rm ; — a aS 7) eae HERRING INVESTIGATIONS.—CHART II. FP RE RT SUA Te oA BRT SAS CT RON EE NR ES TE [> “Ray =, ~oo ew aw aes Gs ay 7 a “ PK; TiS mer 4 \ — ¥ D Po ‘ Xe “— § —. re ea 4 ea, SS =a ‘e * z ry ae E = > = Pie-'-) ys “ 2 N > AGE . . Ce x fi ‘ Pid x Sseonennennniaenieniniinanien ¥camanit “adaementieent. Camanememnans RE a a ee emer Ra are sec ep ey wt 8 A) ~~ 3 6X ATIONS.—CHART III. 1 1 C INVESTI G IN d L HIGE HI P = oo vit 5 x é se | - my fourth. The scales were therefore marked as those of the 1904 year-class marked herrings of Norway. The fish was a male at stage 2, and was 29°4 cm. long. Maturity.—Table IV. The first sample consisted of recover- ing spents and virgin fish. The catching of the herrings for bait when line fishing made the time between capture and landing long, and as no ice was used for preserving the catch, the condition of the gonads presented difficulties in: determining exactly the state of development. It was thought better, therefore, to enter all with small gonads of the shape and size of Hjort’s stage 2 as two’s, than to try and discriminate between stages 7—2 and 2, which could not have been done with any confidence. Virgin fish formed practically the whole of sample 2, only four herrings being present at stage 2. As would be expected from the age composition of samples 3 to 10, there was for 1914 as in 1913 no evidence of any spawning taking place in our local waters, which have already been referred to as a nursery for young herrings of from two to four winter rings. Although investigations in connexion with the herrings of the district have been carried on for a short time only, there is no doubt from the evidence obtained from fishermen and the occasional landings of haddocks gorged with herring spawn that our waters have at times been a spawning ground for the herring. But it does not follow that the spawning and the young fish belong to the same shoal, and it is more than probable that the nursery ground for one shoal has at times been used as a spawning ground by another shoal. Sample 11 contained more fish at an advanced stage of maturity than were found in the Northumberland coast samples. The trawled herring samples were similar as regards maturity to those of 1913. They contained a fair number of mature and spent fish, and also a number which were too young to spawn during 1914, TABLE I.—SIZE, CENTIMETRES. 1 Sample. | as | 19 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 1 INOS, gee | =| 2 15 24 26 % a | Oa alt eS) 58.41 eel Nios” nse = 3 18 39 48 42 16 % _ 1:8 | 105 | 22-7 | 27-9 | 24-4 | 9-3 See | eNos i= | 1 2 18 46 69 42 41 22 6 30) = %, — | — | 04] 08 | 7-2 | 184 | 27-6 | 168 | 16-4 | 88 | 24) j12 | —|@ menos. 4) 3 15 44 74 64 22 15 9 1 Ave ee % | — | — | 12 | 60 | 17-6 | 29-6 | 256 | 88 | 601 386] O4} — | — Bie Nes. i) «2 1 9 38 53 61 37 27 16 3 REA ee % | 0-4] 3-6 | 15-2 | 21-2 | 294-4 1448 |10:81] 64.1) 12 eee MaeNos: - nl eee Uh 1 17 57 78 48 28 10 7 te o/, eS eS | oe | 6-8 .|.928 | 31:2 |-19-2 111-2 | 2-0 7) See 7 Nos. | 22 5) = 5 16 63 85 50 |. 19 7 1 1 AAS See o/, — | — | 20 | 64 | 25-2 | 340 | 200 | 76 | 28] 04] O4] — | — BANGS alee a) ee ee a 2 36 75 63 55 13 4 1 is 07, — } =. | 2} = | o8 | 144 | 30-0-| 25-2) 22-0 | 52 | 26 a One OP oNos: te 1 3 19 58 51 20 8 1 a o7, = | = o-4>| 41:24 7-6 | 23-2-) 34-4 | 20-4-1 8-0 | 3:2 0 Ocul eee NOME Nos? I c= al) 4 14 | 34 59 39 42 | 39 13 Pa ee 1 % Sy 16 1 5-6 | 13-6 | 23°6 [15-6 | 16-8 | 15-6 | 5-2) eben A Nos. Wed Se Oh il 1 8 27 38 59 40 17 7 3 oy | — | — | — 1-95 | 0-5 | 4-0 |:13-5: | 19:0.| 29-5 | 20-0 | 8:5: seers Tyna |e fren a Ee 4 rk 9 leer | 360) bal {| sees 3 2 ra es at ee ee 20 | Ob | 4:5 | 13-5 | 18-0 | 27-0°| 19-0 | 11-5°] 15 | 10m 13 Bos. 4| a= Sl iS 2 7 1 12 15 31 39 30 12 4g oe | — | — 1°10 | 35 | 55 | 60 | 7-5 | 15-5 | 18-5 | 19-5. | 15-0 | 60 ae - a aia agit 25 TABLE IT —AGE., WINTER RINGS. { } | ample | | 1 | 2 3 4 5 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 Nos. | — | 3 | 49 | 151 | 154 | 80 | 16 ica rae | -~ % | — | OG) 10: | B23. | 82i0" | ize iy 8-4 ae Pee Ae le = |) eae Nn Oe - | eee ee ena by fs |r Yo | (ea ge Sa a rh Ac ni rn Ve ares een Nos, | — | 36 | 194 | 51 | 22 | 11 3 1 1 1 | — % | — | 14-4 | 49-6 | 20-4 | 8-8 12 | 04] O4 |] O4, — Nos. | — | 58 | 147 | 38 gi|i1;|/—{|—{f—};—-—]— % | — | 21-2 | 588 | 152] 82.| 04] — | — | — | - = | | Nos. | — | 110 | 97 | 32 PS ice Sh | aoe 2) Scere | Peg Maa eer: % | — | 440 | 388/128] 36} — | — | — | — | — | — iNos. | — | 39 | 150 | 40 | 12 | 5&6 | 2} — | —| — |] = % | — | 156 | 600/160 | 48) 20} 04] — | — | — | — Nos | 2 115 iba, 2 2 1 — = = — Hei) 089|-46-0° 1 468 |- 32 | 08.) 08 | OF | — | —+| — | = Nos.| — | 31 | 132 | 59 | 19 5 | 1 1 i ey |e % | — | 12-4 | 528 | 236 | 76] 20] 04 | 04 | 04] — | — | Nos.| 1 | 42 | 165 | 25 | 11 2 2 1/—|/—-—]— % | 04 1168 | 66-0 | 100 | 44! 08] O08 O4]/ — | — | — Ness eo aie 6701.97 | 58 | 17 Go eee aot, % | 20 | 268 | 388 | 22 | 68 | 24 | O8 | — | O4) — | — Nos. | — OR RO. | 14a, .1).20) be oe lave, | 2 1)/—|-— Yo = 4-5) |.50°5 | 24:0 | 145 -)) 25 | 30) 10.) 05 | — = MOS ie) Ve) Tier | 44) 1348 wll 66 y,| 228 9 2 1 a |e. |) 5b.) 22:0 || 17-0) 133-0 | 140) | 4:52] 1-0 |) 0-5) LOU) — Nos.| 4 | 23 | 55 | 30 | 49 | 14 7 7 4 2 i % | 20 | 11:5 | 27-5 | 15-0 | 24-5 | 70 | 35 | 35 | 20 | 10 | 05 26 TABLE III.—SIZE AND AGE. CENTIMETRES. ey edie e ee eee oe bike | Tiere Eee ee aelele eae Peet ae ee lee ues: ial | : ie oe SS ellige-t aa Mmt titapaces bi ae eben aie he Geta Role Spe hieeer RRA molpind ellen ease Sie Me Spe sero Ft ife|e 3 Ber ee dal Tal irene fel shail fe fier [a | cela (a) Miele ec ieee heli becloeed lint rec Er (apes | eas ie cleat in oy alt dtr di tele a eer mete 4 == = a NN Se a i ee See eet a ee ea isl ah cal i le ont PR ee ee i Mee Ne meen wlese Ree) en a = ST, *SBULYy OQ oc Ht 19 ~ © & aN 3 Q © i 15 S&S = OD a © N oO Ht 19 © N © HH 2 TOPULAN fy el nN of < te) 27 es = _*% = m 5. . on. es | Sipe ee era hg so wees |e aca © eee a] Sees ie eg al toad Ol oh ti D MM ia N ae estate Urn loth tetera ea eh Ai lee a da Pe oe eee GS aes Me cee Rs fe Pua W(t ea oe ce mc cael bed) calc APM lll) 8< yah Ae We ce er te allad rae sas a crm ee kA SG pee A ao = eee ay ae A ee See ~~ a £ : if ote || a ee Q 3 Vo ey: EE | Ca | ih? OO" 5 Se ee a saa Ta ae | eee eras se cil msi a aoe | Serer ckee sal So | Foe rae hie? ll eb Ge a a2 et ee eee ere af) 3 a ee = a le a 4 eee. | ott fey 01 is|i@e1 1 tijspe* Ce se eee eh) pri |e ee ee es eee . = B | | . : | See eee ele sete lie les a eta ae an Ht ime pee Wage tet dears Tee ee g Pome ia =| hi an eon SN sun a seal al al ala rpc) a Vode gl) a eC Geta een eee tole i i “SOUT OO oO Hw 1 Oo an Oo +H 1 Oo No + 6 © YF © a am + 1 Oo & OW JOPUL AA fe eee eee eels | ee 8 ee gidureg | © a RG ie | | } 28 TABLE III.—Continued. CENTIMETRES. 23 248 3 13 3 101 48 201 11 17 1 23 22 21 28 27 2 | al 19 10 197 36 54 27 if 29 TABLE IiI.—Continued. CENTIMETRES. — = ~ 9 12 9G st wana ole | 2 ae spell ot a | ee ae lnk tee We sic|| Sewell ie eas sy Cg ont a oo pnd me Be 5h lapiear a itletie Pee Reet hue ae | pees ands pve fe 2 pipes | ee ee es a ees | has eat | eda i ee ae a 5 lea Paani cols ta a eae | a) | | mri ile | n oho seared | Pek | | fee Voce: Rie fo ees | Sf (aic amuelv 1 Neleaen eee cP ee eee eee “SoU aH anow 69 OF DORHOH A TOPUT AA Se oe | } gdurg| & | 30 TABLE IJIA.—SIZE AND AGE. CENTIMETRES ‘3 esque ta ie nl arama hl Pel ill pena oe IL 2 hots ay ea nt aa yi a fifi | | i} [Patel | 7 ees a af ee il es aoe | ili hod fii eine | i en yi} i ye 3 fifi ee rot iy fil Ly pte 7 ave i eel aiet et Mii Reps hore | re Cee ieee ae eee 3 | pan lali me ofall ee cle[i se clas sola as = nis re me jc mas A Oi}j o Fw oO; me oO ie 8) a Ts ath ME eee ia) apie Peewee Pale alse H oOo co NA ww a ee (eoyi | Ye} 8 FE | fant es Ne} N 1D J TIES Se a EN ree aS Se MP cst eee lege | cea ee) ae jeeps meen sete | Peters ie '): o> eee paar: eveme te ett leer tO =o) ai etter afi ete miinmim tet Men El etar ier fy, ce Palate ee ee nee ene Lae Vive ft eee ie erat ii SOUIY. CT mnICYO cet Co COIN ISs EGO N 7 H 10 © O a1 0 HH 19 & ao tH 1d Oo ty OD: So TOPUT AA q re ig ayduieg ; | | | | i 4 a A 33 TABLE I1IlA.—Continued. CENTIMETRES. Ss ad ake tue Sees ee ey deg Be Sa | ae cise ee ee Se ee Sentero rant to | rete er am Sue Wey gree Magy a at lice eee a eae eeu ieee oe fod OSI) VOLS ult a | oe See ete ee ce ety leet oh a eee ee = inl eel edamaeee ee leu alten ec | | AUR he eae Atal ese ee | | NN Ht ODO WN | er S | | in 100 ODD a wm UN | | | | | on | | | | N | 1 et rt ori | | = 5 ee ere) Cc ee oa Maes So PATS Tle [pa cet LS eee ee eee i He eid bleh a = hi 111 1) ie) ee ees afeaertititifalee tri i tit ijafie ani 11 18 Piles et el A yal a-ha Sl ee Sees htt leh [elie (el ieleveear I Ueoeeeesloie al foe ciaty ie ie bolieldebe eile Men ere isp i ian atic tie Ue l teeter 1 | Aaa Spee ee ee ae Te I a a Soe) taka hl mana rt in “SSUIYT ano Ht 19 Oy OOO ot 60 or OOOH A OM N oO 4 1 Ore OA A A TOPULAA foal Ae ete ort etl gra fol mel tea] ojdurg E | ° Ay oc * One at 31 cms a4 TABLE IIlA.—Continued. CENTIMETRES. Ber b= fe re eS Ka Le : Beh ese see mah le ee sake ae Sie a a oe aaa ie Ex —| [soe 3 Giiliae ue a ee acs ye — ———— — — — — + --—- ie.8) N @ EX Hee | |S Con SH eo SH GN |e t no Oo Oo DD ws N wf |[|Io Seale | ise le sme oketl aa bic lesten = | {a : =, ise Ce see i tae Ob ee ee eee 2 gee per ileler eet ed hale = ene ese) debe isy ee eT ae oe ee eee ee = ae ener eae a SEN 5 le oO re 3 | es ee ee ee 3 2 5o-c| ar MP i a ena cet Ya ae Pa Pl mE f= | mt Pall leh relia yp eer ees 2 fe eel isles sly ea : Eat: Senos ees. : iP flict =P Ce cee arate a rence sete fesse ent Seer eee ecg eee alee emer eee Gee eee eee eon ean roe ae aici a a oe ee ea su OS Renee ie Sd tegen Peas Naw 6 Om OOOH A efdueg | | | aa} nm H “| 158 12 N 35 CENTIMETRES. TABLE I11A.—Continued. 23 ON 1 wD N N N wD i | N Oo HH Oo &e& DO OH 36 CENTIMETRES. 116 19 12 12 13 14 15 TABLE IilA.—Continued. 11 10 15 * One at 31 cms. 19 jc ar O° Vo ee | a Seis et ly ele 7S) iiNet as ala ar Presale loon | Bele! tee eaeeie 4 (cr oer ee 5 pre oe Sra isere goer) ih ta Pebigaaeecs i) sat el" ge leisteeey (1-0 1-1 ee eee ae ete eae eh ieee creer oe hie Sr ea *SSUlYY oN oo + 19 © & OOD OM TOPUTA sabes eydureg . 37 TABLE VI.—MATURITY. MALES, iSample.| 1 |1-2| 2 |2-s| 3 |s-4| 4 [4-5] 5 | s—6 | 6 | 7 | 72 | rotal. 1 2s) —. | 242 fees |e Ame SWS Is dae | — | 270 2 62 | 12 2)>—-)/—}/—}/—-};—/—}]—}]—|]— , —} 3 32 | 21 | 59 2 ty ee eres Pe ee | ek) | 4 40 37 34 | 2;—|— -— -- -- — — | — | 114 5 55 | 26 | 39 4 5 PS Te en ES el ee es 6 ele 4 56 | ib | 27) | (sia ig | oye |) aa 7 17 | 22 | 50 6 | 14 oe |) 10 3 | | =. eee 8 3 et dpe 1 | ope lh 1G lo Te 6 5 (i a ee ae is 9 fomiieio: | Sse ).-a07 |. a0 | wee] 12 mle as ps See so ats ces > oe 132 10 tz -10 | 29) | 1%. | 30 9 |g ol a eet (en ee EE |e 5% 11 = 2 7 10 7 \ os). tie hae f= ee 12 oA eee oe i 5 We P17 pele oor jo" [ose |) toe | ah aiege 13 or) em day ae | Se ete!) Tee hee leone ee Nh ee ae | =i) 93 FEMALES, 1 Toe al ae eae ee ee ee 1 | 197 2 88 6 5 be] it ee | ie ee ena eer ee BRON Sy 3 g2 | 23 | 77 re a ae a Ass ig a |S a ee ae 1 | =. na tae 4 37 | 35 | 62 fe (ae em | ee aes ee ee RO ee 5 Bien | 2d, ae) = To pee | I ee a ee er 6 1 4 | is | 28 | 36 | 10 ay | Bi | nee, Ne eee 7 14/720 | 58 | 17 8 el ae pe yee Ty | ence) Ree EE iy 8 2 7 | 56 | 22 | 28 4 Hi ||P eh PERS ile een ea ie,