534 Part III. — Tircntieth Annual Rej)ort 



was observed in the stomaclis of those collected last that could be 

 identified, but the stomachs of the other five contained partly digested 

 Sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus; several of these little fishes were 

 observed in the stomach of the largest Eel, which was about 90^ 

 centimetres in length.* 



Conger Eel. Conger niyer (Risso). 



The following are records of the food observed in the stomachs of five 

 specimens of Conger niger. Several others have been examined but as no 

 food was observed in their stomachs they are not mentioned here. A 

 specimen from Loch Fyne weighing 26 lbs., and captured in September, 

 1900, had in its stomach a partly digested Coitus sp. and several Gobies. 

 The stomach of another, but smaller, specimen, captured at the.same time as 

 the last, contained three Cottus sp. and the remains of a shore Crab, 

 Garcinus mcenas, and of a Hermit Crab, Eupagurus sp. 



The stomach of a specimen obtained from the salmon fishers at the 

 Bay of Nigg on July 23rd, 1900, and measuring 48^ inches (fully 112 

 cm.), contained an Octopus vulgaris, which was about 13^ inches (nearly 

 24 cm.) in length, measuring from the posterior end to the extremity 

 of the tentacles.t A specimen was obtained from the salmon fishers on 

 August 16th, 1900, which measured 57^ inches (about 144 cm.) in 

 length and weighed 18 lbs., and in its stomach was found a partly digested 

 Mackerel and the remains of Decapod Crustacea, too imperfect to be 

 identified. In the stomach of another specimen which was also obtained 

 from the salmon fishers, and which measured 61 inches long and weighed 

 32 lbs., the remains of fish and fragments of Cancer pagurics were 

 obtained. On the outside surface of the stomach of this specimen were 

 fascicles of minute globules resembling Myxosporidmm congri (a 

 Sporozoon).J 



Great Pipe-fish. Syngnathus acus, L. 



Twenty-four specimens from Annan, collected in April and May, ] 900, 

 and measuring from 13 to 16^ centimetres, have been examined, and in 

 the stomach of one of them a number of young Mysidfe were observed, 

 but the food of all the others consisted entirely of Copepods, Eurytemora 

 velox being the only species observed. 



Straight-nosed Pipe-fish. Neropliis aquoreus (L.). 



The stomach of a specimen 14 inches long, sent from Annan, collected 

 April 30th, 1900, contained numerous specimens of young Mysidas, but 

 they were too young aud too much decomposed for more particular 

 identification. 



* Van Beneden, referring to the pre.«ence of Eels in the reservoirs that had been 

 prepared for Lobster culture, states that they are dangerous enemies of these 

 Crustaceans, and, speaking generally of the food of Eels, he remarks: — "On peut dire 

 que tout ce que a vie est devor€ par ce poisson. II n'y en a pas de plus vorace. Les 

 Crustaces memos, les Ecrevisses et les Homards deviennent leur proie." — {Les Poissons 

 des Coles de Belg'ujae, p. 82.) 



fProf. P.-J. van Beneden also records Octopus vuhjaris in the stomach of a Conger, 

 and adds: — -"Nous en avons trouv^, au mois de Janvier, un Poulpe complet, remplissant 

 tout la cavite de I'estomac." — Les Poissons des Cotes de Belgique, p. 82. 



XMyxosporidinm congri, Perugia, Boll. Sci., Pavia, vol. xiii., pp. 24, 25, figs. 15-20 ; 

 see also Dr. Gurley's Memoir on Psorosperms of Fishes in the Report of the United States 

 Commission of Fish and Fisheries, 1892 (pul). 1894), p. 182, pi. 6, figs. 3-8. 



§Van Beneden, o/;. cit., p. 89, states that the food of Syngn^ithus ants is Crangon 

 vulgaris, and that the same Crustacean forms also the principal food of the next species 

 (NeropMs cequoreus), but he adds that he had obtained, in addition to the Crangon, a 

 dozen young fishes which he had not been able to determine. 



