RECENT REPORTS OF FISHERY AUTHORlTIhS. 375 



23-24 mm. (j^j. inch), and the surface stage from 24 mm. to 27-28 mm. 

 (about 1 inch), when a movement shorewards takes place, and the 

 littoral habit is acquired." The young herring of the spring-spawning 

 remain near shore, chieily at the mouths of rivers, until mid-winter, 

 when the length of some 50 mm. (2 inches) has been reached. 

 They are not found during the spring and summer, but recur in 

 the same localities in the autumn with a length of about 80 mm. 

 (3i inches), which is increased to 100 mm. (4 inches) by the end of 

 the year. 



Other Papers. — Dr. J. H. i'ullartou contributes a memoir on the 

 European Lobster, in which he deals chiefly with the breeding and 

 development of that animal. His results agree in the main with those 

 obtained by Ehrenbaum in Heligoland, a full account of which was 

 given in this Journal, vol. iv. pp. 60-69. A series of figures is given, 

 showing the external appearance of the embryos and larvse at various 

 stages of development. 



. Amongst the other papers may be mentioned Professor M'Intosh's 

 "Contributions to the Life- Histories and Development of the Food and 

 other Fishes," and Mr. Thomas Scott's faunistic papers, dealing with the 

 Firth of Forth, the inland waters of Scotland, and the inland waters 

 of the Shetland Islands. 



The Danish Report. 



Report of the Danish Biological Station to the Home Department. 

 V. 1804. By C. G. John Petersen, Ph.D., Copenhagen, 1896. 



The Eridal-dress of the Common Eel.*' — Dr. C. G. J. Petersen's 

 paper — " The Common Eel {Angnilla vulgaris, Turtoyi) gets a particular 

 breeding-dress before its emigration to the sea. The bearings of this 

 fact on the classification and on the practical Eel-fisheries" — forms 

 an important contribution to the solution of the mystery which lias 

 surrounded the life-history of the eel, and serves to complete the 

 brilliant observations of Professor Grassi, an account of which was given 

 in this Journal two years ago by Mr. Cunningham. 



Three different kinds of eel have been recognised both by fishermen 

 and naturalists. Thus Yarrel distinguishes three species, the sharp- 

 nosed eel — silver eel of the fishermen — {Angnilla acutirostris), the 

 broad-nosed eel — grig or frog-mouthed eel of fishermen — {Anguilla 



* On tliis subject compare also Professor G. B. Grassi, " The Rci>roduction and Aluta- 

 niorphosis of the Common Eel (Anguilla vulfjaris)." Proceed. Roy. Soc. London, No. 303, 

 Dcccmbei-, 1896. An accotmt of Grassi'sobsfM'vations is given by Cunningliam, "Tlie Larva 

 of the Eel," Joura. Mar. Biol. Assoc, vol. ill. pp. 278-287. 



