MARCH, 1883. 287 



hundred yards. But we have not met the active Mon- 

 tague Sucker in our own loch ; so that the more sluggish 

 fish frequent our quieter waters, leaving the storm-lashed 

 outer islands to the stronger and more lively species. 



In our shore scrambles among the islands of Linnhe 

 this last week we have at least found that the greater 

 proportion of shore fishes are spawning ; t and our ex- 

 temporised incubators are now occupied with brilliant- 

 hued ova of various species, among some of which the 

 eyes are already well developed, and displaying interest- 

 ing peculiarities. Here is a crowd of delicate ova, lately 

 glutinous, closely cemented, and almost a homogeneous 

 mass. Gradually the eggs have moved away from each 

 other, leaving interstices for the entrance of more and 

 more water as the increasing vitality of the occupants 

 has demanded greater oxygenation. Now some of the 

 more forward ova are connected with the mass by the 

 very slightest cementation or agglutination, the eggs per- 

 ceptibly moving and working away from their neighbours, 

 as if the internal struggles of the embryos produced the 

 same effect as the mother hen does, who daily turns her 

 eggs with her beak. We frequently wondered whether 

 most of such eggs would incubate naturally, or if the in- 

 terior ones were really debarred from any sufficiency of 

 contact with the life-giving water. Here is a bunch from 

 which scores of youngsters in the pond, now progressing 

 vigorously, have incubated, so we lift it up anticipating 

 that it is wholly exhausted, as it looks dead and dingy, 

 and we break it across. Within a few minutes of this 

 performance we find the hitherto imprisoned youngsters 

 wriggling out into the tablespoon in which we have 

 placed the spawn for convenience of examination, several 

 days after their brethren have been enjoying an energetic 



