Note on " Deserted Spawning Grounds of the Herring." 273 



contents of the tray on the bank. In this way many millions 

 of eggs could be easily deposited in either shallow or deep 

 water. 



Specimens Exhibited. 



February, 1884. — Professor Ewart exhibited a specimen of 

 Torpedo noUliana, taken by a trawl in 40 fathoms water off 

 Lybster on the 11th of January. The specimen measured 

 28 inches in length, and 19 J inches across the pectoral fins, 

 and was 13 pounds in weight. It was of a uniform dark 

 chocolate colour on the upper surface, while the under surface 

 was nearly white. Though several torpedoes have, in all 

 probability, been captured off the Scottish coast, this seems 

 to be the' first that has been identified and preserved. It has 

 been presented by the Scottish Fishery Board to the Museum 

 of Science and Art. A figure of this specimen will be found 

 in the Annual Eeport of the Fishery Board for Scotland for 

 the year 1883. 



March 19th. — Professor Ewart exhibited the following 

 specimens : (1.) Baniceps trifitrcus (Tadpole fish), taken in 

 the Firth of Forth ; (2.) Fhysis Uenniodes, the Great Fork- 

 Beard ; (3.) Gadus minutus, the Power Cod, taken off Eye- 

 mouth ; (4.) an albino Haddock (Gadus mglefinus) from Stone- 

 haven ; (5.) a Coronula taken from the " Tay Whale " {Meg- 

 aptera longimana) ; (6.) stones coated with eggs of herring, 

 dredged from the Ballantrae Bank on the 8th of March ; 

 and (7.) living Herring fry which escaped from the eggs on 

 the stones on the 16th March. 



