374 RECENT REPORTS OF FISHERY AUTHORITIES. 



Fyne, on the west coast of Scotland, was selected, 4,000,000 larvre being 

 conveyed there by train in four separate consignments. The transport 

 appears to have been fairly successful, though on two occasions the 

 larvfe are reported as showing a certain amount of weakness when put 

 out in the loch. This difficulty will no doubt be got over after further 

 experience in the best methods of transport lias been gained. 



The Oyster Beds of the Firth of Forth. — Dr. Fulton contributes a 

 second valuable paper to the Report, in which he discusses the past and 

 present condition of the oyster beds in the Firth of Forth. The causes 

 of the exhaustion of the beds are considered, and various suggestions 

 made as to the measures which should be adopted in order to make 

 them again productive. Dr. Fulton considers that the present condition 

 of the beds is entirely due to improper fishing and the neglect of 

 efficient regulations ; and further, that there is still a chance of restoring 

 at least a part of them by judicious aid. The measures recommended 

 are (1) the laying down of a stock of oysters to furnish spat ; (2) the 

 supply of suitable cultch for the reception of the spat ; and (3) keeping 

 the ground clean and as free as possible from enemies. As no oysters 

 are so suitable for any locality as the oysters which naturally live there 

 or in the neighbourhood, by far the best means of obtaining the 

 breeding stock would be to collect the oysters at present scattered over 

 the beds, and to lay them down in one or more selected places. This 

 might be done by purchasing from the fishermen the oysters taken 

 when dredging for mussels and clams. The oysters thus obtained for 

 breeding purposes might be supplemented by others obtained elsewhere. 



In order to obtain a supply of clean cultch for the spat to settle upon, 

 mussel and clam shells might be collected from the various villages and 

 exposed to the sun and air until the spatting time, when they should 

 be strewn on the various grounds. Dr. Fulton calculates that an 

 expenditure of £600 per annum for five or six years would be sufficient 

 to carry out the scheme he recommends, including the protection of the 

 areas where the breeding stock was deposited. On the other hand, the 

 fishermen on the south side of the Firth of Forth have lost during 

 the last twenty years fully £150,000 by the exhaustion of the beds, 

 to say nothing of the loss to the citizens. 



Hate of Growth of the Herring. — Mr. Masterman's paper, "On 

 the Eate of Growth of the Food-Fishes," deals with the rate of growth 

 of the Herring at St. Andrews, and the author gives the following 

 summary of his conclusions : — "The young larva, hatched at from 5 to 

 7 mm. (j2_ inch) in length, lives near the bottom till some 10 mm. 

 (j*(y inch) is attained by a rapid increase in length. The attenuated 

 post-larval herring then migrates upwards through the mid- water to the 

 surface, the mid-water stage lasting from about 10 mm. (i^ inch) to 



