104 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



Hydrozoon allied to Hydractinia. The peculiarities in its 

 structure are, however, so numerous, and the apparent total 

 absence of any superficial openings of any kind is so puzzling, 

 that I do not at present see how it can be placed among 

 either the Hydrozoa or the Actinozoa ; nor can I give any 

 definite opinion as to its affinities beyond the negative one 

 that it cannot at present be referred positively to any known 

 group of corals, and that it certainly has no relationship to 

 Ghmtetes proper. 



XI. Note on the Destruction of Fish in Linlithgoiv Loch during 

 the Winter of 1878-79. By R. Scot-Skieving, Esq. 



(Bead 29th Maij 1879.) 



The fish of Linlithgow Loch consist of roach, perch, pike, 

 and eels. There are no trout. The right of fishing is held 

 by the Crown, and let to Mr Jameson, fishmonger, Edin- 

 burgh. Mr Jameson has been in the habit of taking annu- 

 ally a considerable quantity of fish, and in particular a very 

 large number of eels, many of which were of the largest size. 

 Last month one of Mr Jameson's shopmen happened to 

 mention to me that they had this season no supply of eels, 

 as the fish in Linlithgow Loch had been destroyed by the 

 severity of the winter. I was quite convinced that mere 

 cold, however intense, could not have destroyed the fish ; as 

 I had often read of fish being exposed to more intense frost 

 than ever occurs in this country, and that even though 

 actually frozen for a considerable period, they have ulti- 

 mately survived. 



On subsequently seeing Mr Jameson himself, he gave me 

 the following information regarding the fish, and suggested 

 what I have no doubt was the true cause of their destruc- 

 tion. He said that during the continuance of the frost, 

 while the loch was thickly covered with ice, boys were con- 

 stantly to be seen taking dead or dying eels from any small 

 openings in the ice at the margin of the loch ; and T may 

 here mention that I had personally observed this, and I find 

 that several of my friends did so also. These dying eels 



