SEPTEMBER, 1881. 55 



first attracted to the fish by the extraordinary splashing 

 and antics of a large diver, whose energies were 

 evidently devoted to reducing the number of the large 

 shoal that was approaching. 



The specimens captured were in milt and roe, and we 

 found that the females were far more numerous than the 

 males, as has been observed in those in the south of 

 England. It is also noteworthy that, when cooked, the 

 silver stripe dividing the fish lengthways was even more 

 distinctly marked than when in the water. It seemed to 

 be more than superficial, and that the flesh underneath 

 was darker along this clearly defined band. 



Meantime, there are two natural questions to ask 

 respecting them. If the same as the common atherine, 

 why are they so small : for even if limited in their range 

 to our own loch, there is a plentiful supply of food in it 

 for any fish ? And, again, why have they departed from 

 the accustomed ways of A, Presbyter, and adopted the 

 peculiarly specific habits of the still smaller and somewhat 

 dissimilar A. Boieri as described by Couch. 



This last tide has been the lowest we have ever known 

 in our loch, and at Connel Falls the force of the current 

 was exceptionally severe, owing to the depth of the tide 

 below the usual level of the water. This gave great 

 facilities for any one desirous of examining the beach at 

 a depth rarely reached, and as the cause of the great ebb 

 was partly the severe north-east wind that blew with 

 severity for some days down Loch Linnhe, it at the 

 same time threw much that was of interest on the shore. 

 Delighted at an easy opportunity of watching the 

 products of the deep, we marched, basket in hand, 

 along the water's edge, and thereby found many objects 

 we do not commonly meet even in our deeper water 



