22 



Observations on the Habits and Food of Young 



Fishes. 



(Andrew Scott.) 



Early in May the young flat fishes hatched out under 

 natural conditions in the sea began to appear on all the 

 sandy shores. By allowing the water draining down the 

 gullies, when the tide was ebbing, to pass through a tow- 

 net, considerable numbers were captured. Many of these 

 were kept alive in our tanks and aquaria ; some were pre- 

 served for future study, and others were examined at once 

 to ascertain the nature of the stomach contents. 



These little fish, chiefly Plaice and Flounders ranging 

 from two-fifths to three-fifths of an inch in length, were 

 quite colourless and transparent, the stomach and alimen- 

 tary canal showing clearly through the skin. Although 

 they had assumed the flattened character of their parents 

 and the eye had begun to move over the head, they still 

 swam about in a vertical manner. In the course of a day 

 or two they were observed to have considerable difficulty 

 in maintaining the upright position, and ere long, after a 

 few more feeble attempts to swim vertically, they settled 

 down to a semi-sedentary life in the sand. During the 

 day-time they remained buried, except the mouth and eyes, 

 and could only be detected with difficulty. In the dark- 

 ness they came out and swam freely on the surface of the 

 sand. After a few weeks, when the little flat fishes had 

 become accustomed to their surroundings, they ceased 

 burying themselves, and simply lay on the surface. Some- 

 times they clung to the sides of the jars with great 

 tenacity. 



The food of these young fishes was found to consist 

 almost entirely of Copepoda. Collections made later on, 



