Example 4.1 Figure 4.1 shows a plot of the directional preferences of 50 starhead top-minnows, after they had been displaced to unfamiliar surroundings and then subjected to heavily overcast conditions. (The data are listed in Appendix B4.) The fish use a sun compass to move in a direction which, at the location of their capture, would return them to the land–water interface. It is of interest to know whether they still have a preferred orientation, or whether the distribution is essentially uniform on (0°, 360°).

Example 4.2 Figure 4.2 shows a plot of measurements of long-axis orientation of 60 feldspar laths in basalt. (Both ends of each axis are plotted. The data are listed in Appendix B5.) In this example, it is of interest to know whether the distribution is essentially uniform, or whether there are, in fact, several modal groups present.

Example 4.3 Figure 4.3 shows a plot of 30 cross-bed azimuths of palaeocurrents measured in the Belford Anticline in New South Wales. […]