278 



2. Linnean Society of London. 



5th March, 1SS5. — Dr. Francis Day read a paper »On the Rearing, 

 Growth and Breeding of Salmon in Freshwater in Great Britain«. He referred 

 to the statements and opinions of the older authorities and then dwelt more at 

 length on the more recent experiments of Sir James Maitland at Howieton. In 

 Dec. 1880 Sir James obtained salmon eggs and milt from fish captured in 

 the Teith, and from which ova hatched in March 1881. In July 1883 it was 

 seen that some of the young salmon these 2 years and 4 months old were 

 either in the parr livery or had assumed the dress of silvery smolts, the 

 latter in certain lights showing parr bands. On Nov. 7th 1884 a smolt of 

 IV4 ^ w^eight jumped out of the pond and from it about 100 eggs were 

 expressed and they seemed to be ripe, they were milted from a Lochleven 

 trout. On 23rd January 1885, 18 of these eggs hatched and the young 

 were strong and healthy. November 11th, 1884, about 12 000 Lochleven 

 trout eggs were milted from one of the foregoing smolts and they hatched 

 28th January, 1885. On 1th Dec. 1884 1500 eggs were taken from two of 

 the foregoing smolts and treated by the milt of one of the males. On the 

 9th about 4000 eggs from these smolts were fertilised from one of the males 

 and on the 13th 2500 smolt eggs were milted from a paiT. Dr. Day further 

 states that pure salmon eggs in the Howieton fishery have been hatched, that 

 the young have grown to parr, smolts and grilse, that these latter have given 

 eggs and their eggs have been successfully hatched. Although time will yet 

 be necessary before a definite reply can be given as to how these young 

 salmon will thrive, how large they will eventually become in fresh water 

 ponds and whether from them a land-locked race may be expected, still the 

 following points seem to be established viz : — That male parrs or smolts 

 may afi'ord milt capable to fertilise ova, but if taken from fish in their second 

 season at 32 months of age they are of insufficient power to produce vigo- 

 rous fry. That female smolts or grilse may give eggs at 32 months of age, 

 but those of a season older are better adapted for the production of vigo- 

 rous fry — wherefore to develope ova a visit to the sea is not a physiological 

 necessity. That young male salmon are more matured for breeding purposes, 

 than are young females of the same season's growth. That female Salmoni- 

 dae under 24 months of age although they may give ova are of little use 

 for breeding purposes, the young if produced being generally weak or 

 malformed. That at Howieton so far hybrids between trout and salmon have 

 proved to be sterile. — Furthermore Dr. Day stated that the size of eggs 

 of Salmonidae vary with the age and condition of the parent, but as a rule 

 older fish give larger ova than the younger mothers. Even among the eggs 

 of individual fish variations occur in the size of the ova. From larger ova 

 finer and rapidly growing fry are produced, consequently by a judicious se- 

 lection of breeders, races may be improved, while it is only where segre- 

 gation is efficiently carried out that such selection is possible. 



19th March, 1885. — Dr. J. J. Romanes exhibited two human skulls 

 from South Africa. One was that of an aboriginal Bushman from Kruis River, 

 Cango district, Gudtsboora obtained through Dr. Stroud. — A paper by Prof. 

 A 11 man on new Hydroids from the Collection of Miss Gatty was read and 

 discussed. Thirty eight species distributed among twelve genera are described 

 as new. Among these the new Plumularian genus Podocladhim is very remar- 



