of the Fishery Board for Scotland. tt 
THE MARINE CRUSTACEA. 
A paper, illustrated by four plates, is also contributed to the 
present report by Dr. Thomas Scott on a number of marine 
crustacea, obtained in collections made during various fishery 
investigations, especially the trawling investigations in the Moray 
Firth. 
All the forms described are small; they are for the most part 
free-swimming in their habits and belong to the Copepoda, a group 
that constitutes a large proportion of the food of the edible fishes 
in their young stages. Of these free-swimming crustaceans four 
are new to science and are now described for the first time. A few 
species that live as parasites on other crustaceans are also recorded. 
They belong to the somewhat abnormal Choniostomatide ; two of 
these are also new to science and are now described for the first 
time in this report. 
THE TAY SPRAT FISHERY. 
A paper is included in the present report in which Mr. John 
Fletcher gives an account of the bag-net fishing for sprats on the 
Tay in the season 1904-1905. The methods and course of the 
fishing and the situation of the ground where the sprats are taken 
are described, but the chief part of the paper deals with the 
composition of the catches. In forty-six samples examined at 
various periods from October to February inclusive, comprising 
43,871 fishes, the number of young herrings was found to be 
26,037, the sprats numbering 16,992 ; there were also 581 specimens 
of other food fishes, mostly whiting and cod, as well as 261 
specimens of unmarketable and inedible forms. The herrings 
measured from 12 inches to 7 inches in length. 
The quantity examined represented about one-thousandth part 
of the entire season’s catch. On the basis mentioned tables are 
given showing the estimated composition of the catches throughout 
the season, from which it appears that in the 1348 crans taken the 
number of young herrings was approximately nearly 23} millions, 
while the sprats numbered a little over 21 millions. The percentage 
proportion of herrings increased gradually and steadily from the 
commencement of the season in October, when it was 20°4, to 
January, when it was 78:2. 
THE YOUNG OF THE CONGER. 
In last year’s report two specimens of the young of the conger 
(Leptocephalus) at different stages were described, the earlier being 
known as Leptocephalus Morrisii and the older as L. punctatus, and 
both were taken in the Moray Firth. Last May another specimen 
of L. punctatus was captured in Aberdeen Bay in from four to five 
fathoms of water and brought alive to the Laboratory, as well as 
the head part of a third specimen. They are described by 
Dr. Fulton in the present report. Leptocephali are exceedingly 
rare, and the capture of four in so short a time is of interest. 
THE SPAWNING OF THE Cop IN AUTUMN IN THE NORTH SEA. 
Dr. Fulton also describes further observations in connection with 
the discovery that shoals of cod spawn in August, September, and 
