( 87 ) 

 SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



Linnean Society of London. 



December 21, 1882.— Alfred W. Bennett, Esq., in the chair. 



Prof. Adolph Ernst, of Venezuela, and Dr. W. C. Ondaatje, of Ceylon, 

 were elected Fellows. 



Prof. T. S. Cobbold exhibited specimens of Ligula abdominalis from the 

 Bream, of L. leucisci from the Minnow, and of L. monogramma from the 

 Grebe, to compare with L. Mansoni from man, in illustration of his paper 

 mentioned below. The L. abdominalis is the same worm which is called 

 L. edulis by Briganti, and is eaten under the name of " macaroni piatti." 



Dr. Francis Day read a paper entitled " Observations on the Marine 

 Fauna of the East Coast of Scotland." This contribution was the result of 

 accompanying H.M.S. ' Triton,' sent to survey certain parts of the coast off 

 Aberdeenshire, Kincardine, and Forfar, in July, 1882. He remarked that 

 the migrations of the Herring had given rise to many speculations, but 

 still required elucidation. The chief objects of migration would appear to be 

 a search for a locality where spawn may be safely deposited and the species 

 continued, or a search for food to maintain their existence; but occasionally 

 it would seem the fish migrate from ground where incessant netting and 

 capture render them uneasy or frightened. If going more seaward it is not 

 unlikely their progeny would locate themselves where reared; but again 

 the new location might be found unsuited and the shoal might return to its 

 first habitat. Dr. Day mentioned facts connected with the Wick, Moray 

 Firth, and Aberdeenshire fisheries, showing that at Wick a large form of 

 Herring arrives about the beginning of the year and disappears about 

 March, shoals of a smaller size appearing in May and June ; while a larger, 

 fatter sort come in great shoals, and spawn in August and September. As 

 the Wick fisheries declined those of Fraserburgh increased in yield. It is 

 evident that the fishing is now carried on further out to sea, forty or fifty 

 miles being the usual limit. As to the mesh of the nets employed opinions 

 are very different. The same may be said of the nature of the food of the 

 Herring; but Dr. Day's observations point to this being minute Ento- 

 mostraca, various ova, and small fishes. Whatever may be said by the 

 fishermen of decrease in certain localities, the records of the fishery returns 

 show a steady annual increase in the capture of Herrings from the com- 

 mencement of this century until the present time. Dr. Day gave the 

 results of his various dredgings, and particularly described the crustaceans 

 and the molluscans, all of more or less well-known forms. 



A report on the Echinodermata collected by Dr. Day formed a separate 

 communication, by Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell. Spatangus purpureus, Asterias 

 violacea, and Echinus elegans were abundantly represented. Of the last- 



