18 



That there is still a considerable amount of definite 

 information wanted regarding the movements and true 

 habitat of these larvae in our own seas, may be gathered 

 from the fact that the records of their capture along the 

 British coasts are few and far between. 



In our surface tow-net gatherings, taken along the 

 Lancashire coast during the past year or two, we have 

 occasionally found a little flat, transparent fish, which has 

 been entered on our lists as " Leptocephalus sp." In 

 January, 1896, three were taken in the estuary of the 

 Wyre, by tow-net worked from the steamer. In April of 

 the same year, one was taken by tow-net worked off 

 Lytham Pier. These were forwarded to us by Mr. 

 Ascroft. In January, 1897, one was taken in the Mersey, 

 off New Brighton, and in the year finished (1898), a 

 number of individuals have passed through my hands, as 

 follows : — 



On April 26th, Mr. J. Wright, Chief Fishery Officer at 

 Piel brought into the Laboratory a tow-net collection he 

 had made in the vicinity of the north end of Eoa Island, 

 and amongst the material was a living Leptocephahts. 

 This specimen was kept alive for a few days, but eventually 

 died. Shortly afterwards. May 18th, while I was collect- 

 ing young flat-fishes in the shore pools and gutters at low 

 water in the same neighbourhood, three Leptocepliali were 

 captured. From that date onwards, to the end of June, 

 when the weather and tide permitted, careful examination 

 of the shores was made, with the result that eighteen 

 specimens of this hitherto rare fish were obtained ; others 

 were seen but not captured. 



The method adopted for the capture of these and other 

 young fish, and which proved very successful, was the 

 following one : — Advantage was taken of the fact that, 

 during the ebb of the tide here, there is a rapid fall of 



