LOCH FYNE HERRING. 23 



These variations of haunt closely correspond with 

 the habits of both large and small denizens of the 

 sea which are drawn either temporarily or per- 

 manently to places where they find food and other 

 conditions suitable to their wants, whether such be 

 sought on a sandj^ muddj^ or gravelly bottom, or 

 at a greater or less depth of water. 



From the above facts we may assume that these 

 lochs and other parts of the sea have peculiarities 

 better fitted for some species than for others, Avhere 

 they may settle down, thrive, and multiply. 



In a paper on investigations on the movements 

 and food of herring, Mr. Fred. G. Pearcey, of the 

 Challenger, states that " the food found in the 

 stomachs of over a thousand herrings taken from 

 various parts round the Shetland Islands consisted 

 almost entirely of young fishes, chiefly Ammadytes, 

 Motella, and Pollochius." * Mr. Thomas Scott, in a 

 paper giving the results of the examination of a 

 number of herring's and haddock's stomachs from 

 various localities, remarks that "it is shown by this 

 table [see paper], as by those given in former papers, 

 that Schizopods and pelagic Amphipods form the 

 chief food of the herring on the west coast. No 

 Copepods Avere observed in the above cases in any 

 of the stomachs sent from the East Coast districts." f 

 It appears so far to be satisfactorily determined 

 that as regards the Loch Fyne district copepods do 

 form the greater part of the food of the herring 

 during the summer. In the statistics given in the 

 Fourth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for 

 Scotland (1886), Appendix F, p. 128, it is shown that 

 in the stomachs of herring caught in the Loch Fyne 

 district copepods were observed more frequently 

 than schizopods during the summer months, ^vhile 

 in those examined in September both those groups 

 were represented in nearly equal numbers. 



Mr. Turbyne, an intelligent and careful observer 



* Proceedings of the Royal PInjsical Societii of Edinburgh, vol. viii., p. 395. 



^ Sixth Annual Report of the Fishery Board for Scotland (1838), Part III., Scientific In- 



vestigatiou3, p. 2is. 



