240 THE SCOTTISH MAEINE STATION AND ITS WOEK.' 



herring itself is said by the fishermen to be subject to a 

 disease known as '^ poke-gut/' which they believe to be due 

 to the fish " eating some black substance which burns 

 through them like quicklime/' Dr. Murray has ascertained 

 that this black material is due to the pigmented eyes of 

 Schizopod larvae^ which have been devoured in quantities 

 by the fish and undergone such rapid decomposition that 

 even in a few hours they will penetrate the abdominal wall. 



It seems more than doubtful whether the herring migrate, 

 as is commonly supposed, between these deep lochs and the 

 open ocean. It appears more probable from several indications 

 that they winter in the deep water, and come to the shallows 

 for breeding purposes. This would account, amongst other 

 things, for the fact that each district has a recognisable 

 variety of herring peculiar to itself. During the winter 

 months herrings have been captured in depths of forty 

 fathoms with their stomachs distended with adult Nyctiphanes, 

 and young hei"rings have been taken at similar depths 

 throughout the whole year. 



After such an account of work, as even this brief record 

 supplies, it seems a work of supererogation to attempt any 

 justification of such an institution as the Scottish Marine 

 Station. Before it is possible to attempt an intelligent 

 regulation of our fisheries, the first requisite is more know- 

 ledge, a detailed acquaintance not only with the fish them- 

 selves and their habits of life, but also with the physical 

 conditions in which they dwell, and of the life-history and 

 distribution of the organisms which serve as their food. 

 Such an acquaintance with the subject is merely in its 

 infancy at present, and with our best efforts many years 

 must elapse before it can be even approximately adequate to 

 our needs. One Zoological Station, however well equipped, 

 can only explore a limited area, and there is room in this 

 field for many workers, whose results when collected and 

 compared will lead to such generalisations as may render it 

 possible to legislate upon these questions with sure hope of 

 success. 



