The Rate of Growth of some Sea Fishes and their Distribution at Different Ages

Extract

Dr. Wemyss Fulton has made an extensive investigation of the distribution of immature sea fishes, and has published his results in the Report of the Scottish Fishery Board for the year 1889. He had at his disposal a sea–going vessel specially adapted to fishery investigations, and his data were obtained exclusively by means of this vessel. As scientific Secretary to the Board Dr. Fulton is attached to the Office in Edinburgh, and the observations he required were made and recorded according to his directions by the naturalists on the Board's steamer “Garland.” The conception and the execution of this investigation are both admirable, and it has supplied a great deal of definite knowledge upon subjects of great importance on which previously we knew little or nothing. The enquiry consisted in determining firstly, from the examination of a large number of specimens, the minimum and maximum size of sexually ripe specimens smaller than this minimum size at various depths and various distance from shore. The enquiries described in the present paper are to some extent similar to Dr. Fulton's, but in the main they are different both in object and in method. My first object was as far as possible to ascertain something of the rate of growth of sea–fishes of various species. With this purpose, I have searched for young specimens in all possible ways, and have measured and preserved all I could meet with.