Thomson. — Portobello Marine Fish- hatchery. 547 



seven moult, 21st February ; eighth moult, 26th February ; 

 ninth moult, 5th March ; tenth moult, 19th March ; eleventh 

 moult, 8th April. The adult form appeared to be reached 

 at the tenth moult, the motion in swimming and the general 

 appearance being different from what it was in the earlier stages. 

 Fairly complete sets of these various stages have been preserved, 

 and it is hoped to work them out during the coming year. 



Munida subrugosa, Miers : An attempt was made to prove 

 the identity of this species with Grimothea gregaria, the free- 

 swimming form known as " whale-feed," which is so abundant 

 in our seas, especially in the summer months. Owing to the 

 nature of the tank-water and pressure of other work the ex- 

 periment failed. While there seems little doubt as to the iden- 

 tity of these two forms, vet until Grimothea has been reared 

 from the eggs of Munida the fact cannot be considered proved. 

 This is the principal food material of a great many species of 

 fish during a considerable part of the year, and the knowledge 

 of its life-history is important and desirable. 



Scientific Notes by Mr. Anderton. 



The following notes made at various times by the curator 

 are well worthy of being placed on record : — 



(1.) I have never read of the yawning of fishes, but I have 

 repeatedly seen blue-cod, flounders, and soles in the ponds 

 having a decided yawn. The mouth is opened to its full ex- 

 tent, as also are the gill-covers. This is continued for a few 

 seconds, when the mouth is shut with a snap. I have observed 

 the same thing in the glass tanks in the case of spotties (Pseudo- 

 labrus bothryocosmus) and flounders. The phenomenon has been 

 chiefly observed when the ponds were low, but the reason of 

 this is not known. Ifc may be that it was only that the fish 

 were more easily observed. 



(2.) The following fact is worth recording. On the 12th- 

 13th October 14 in. of rain fell, and on the latter date 25,000 

 ova were collected from the surface of the pond. This is one 

 of the heaviest rainfalls recorded, but it did not interfere with 

 the collection of the ova, nor apparently with their condition 

 after collection. 



(3.) During the winter months there appears to be a general 

 exodus of fish from the harbour. I think this is most noticeable 

 in the case of the flounders. Perhaps the difference in tempera- 

 ture between the water of the bay and of the open sea, together 

 with the supposition that they seek deeper water on account of 

 the increased pressure to assist the extrusion of the eggs, may 

 account to a great extent for this annual migration. The fol- 



