DPN) 
bring about artificial fertilisation in Arenicola than, for 
example, in many Hchinoderms, and this fact would prove 
a serious obstacle in the endeavour to cultivate Arenicola 
with the idea of re-stocking exhausted sands. This 
question is, however, not likely to become of practical 
importance as, judging from reports from various parts of 
the coast, the supply of lugworms is quite equal to, and 
even more than, the demand, except, of course, in certain 
restricted areas where conditions are unfavourable for 
their life and growth. 
As mentioned above, the sands around Aberdeen form 
one of these unfavourable areas, so that lugworms are 
either absent or scarce. In consequence they are imported 
from the Moray Firth. The worms are gathered chiefly 
near Campbeltown, near Fort George, Inverness-shire, and 
sent by rail,” a distance of about 100 miles, the journey 
occupying at least five hours, to Aberdeen. The worms 
cost ten shillings per stone, and railway charges, &c., 
amount to ls. 2d. per stone.* This quantityt would bait 
four small lines.” A baiting of mussels for the same 
lines would cost about 3s. 6d., but as a rule the lugworms 
would catch three or four times as many fish.” It is 
almost impossible, in warm weather, to transport lug- 
worms over such a long distance and to deliver them in 
good condition at their destination. This probably 
accounts for the fact that they are used in Aberdeen only 
in the colder part of the year, from December to April. 
No doubt, the comparatively high price restricts their use 
for bait during the colder months. This is the only 
** For this information I desire to thank the Secretary of the 
Fishery Board for Scotland and the principal Fishery Officer of the 
Aberdeen District. 
+ Taking fourteen average lugworms, such as would be used for 
bait, I find that their mean weight is rather over half an ounce each. 
There would be about four hundred such worms in a stone (14 lbs.) 
oa 
Q 
