340 Dr. A. Lindsay on the Amphioxus lanceolatus. 



devoted to dredging for this purpose, he was requested to watch 

 for the fish when opportunities offered for pursuing his investi- 

 gations. In April last he succeeded in obtaining one. 



No further examination of the ground whence the first was 

 obtained was made till August. In that month the writer, with 

 his friend and a companion naturalist, Mr. Little of Millport, 

 made arrangements for a second exploration of the locality. To 

 the surprise of all, we captured no less than three in our first 

 dredge, and on the same day other three were taken. On a 

 subsequent occasion, Mr. Robertson obtained five in one haul. 

 Without entering into particulars, we may at once state, that 

 in five different dredgings, on separate days, twenty-two were 

 captured. 



The scene of operations was on the Ayrshire coast, near Por- 

 tincross, at a point nearly midway between the mainland and 

 the east end of the Little Cumbrae. Dr. Landsborough mentions 

 his having dredged one near the same place. 



On looking at some statements regarding this fish, it is said 

 to be found principally among sand. It may be so ; but this 

 did not by any means accord with our experience. Invariably 

 they were present in clean unmixed gravel. When even a very 

 moderate amount of sand or mud appeared in the dredge, we 

 soon learned not to expect the fish. As regards this, we were 

 never disappointed. It was further remarkable, that when we 

 had secured the Amphioxus j there was a complete absence of 

 everything else likely to interest either the marine botanist or 

 zoologist. To this we may state there was one exception, there 

 being invariably an Annelide present, evidently one of the family 

 Nereidse. The species we were unable to determine. 



Already we have spoken of the tenacity of life manifested by 

 the Amphioxus, Half an hour under the microscope seemed to 

 interfere little with its vitality : on being replaced in the water, 

 it darted rapidly off, little the worse for the examination. It 

 may not, however, be always convenient to examine them in the 

 live condition. When placed in alcohol, they speedily become 

 opake : the addition of soda, in certain proportions, is said to 

 prevent this. We cannot on this point speak from our own 

 experience ; but we can confidently advise the use of glycerine 

 as a preservative fluid ; the appearance of specimens of the Am- 

 phioxus, after being put up for weeks, being not in the slightest 

 degree altered. 



169 George Street, Glasgow. 



