866 REPORT—1890. 
11. Notes on the Spawning of the Anguilla. Dy the Rev. J. Hi. Fraser. 
The hatchery was in an old stream which has not been known to run dry, and 
about a dozen yards from the lake—lLochness—into which the burn flows. The 
time or season was early in May and for three weeks in June. The stream was 
shaded at the hatchery by alder trees. The establishment consisted of six 
inhabitants—four males and two females. The act of reproduction was as follows. 
The female adhered to or attached her head (mouth) to a firm stone or pebble, 
then the male fixed himself to her head by suction or pressure, and put one coil of 
his tail around the middle of her body, then slid or glided down that section, 
until it reached the desired spot. From the moment of connection there is a 
very lively play of tails, and so strong as to disturb the coarse sand and ova 
recently deposited. The female apparently passes four or five eggs simultaneously 
with the withdrawal of the male organ, The ova, asa rule, fell to the bottom, 
and lay on the coarse sand or pebbles as small white, globular bodies. When the 
reproductive act was a little stronger than the normal excitement, the ova ejected 
and those deposited were carried a little way down stream, but only to sink to the 
bed of the burn. After this observation had gone on for a time, two and even 
three males were seen to fasten on the female, one on each side and a third on the 
back, and the whole three would endeavour to impregnate her at the same time. 
By means of a walking-stick, two of the eels were jerked out of the water. One 
wriggled back, the other was brought back after a dry bath of five minutes. It is: 
remarkable that the two thrown out were evidently females. This conclusion is 
arrived at from the fact that no reproductive acts were observed among the 
remainder, who kept about the place for a fortnight and then disappeared. 
Twenty days after, the new hatchery of six (four males and two females) was 
discovered higher up stream in complete working order, but operations were largely 
conducted under a flat stone, which was removed without any apparent alarm. 
The processes were as already described, and connection took place every three 
minutes and lasted about six seconds. It may be mentioned that the male organ 
was always unsheathed. ‘The day after removing the stone there was no trace of 
eels or ova. Observation was very difficult, on account of the similarity of size 
and constant sameness of motion and contiguity of the lively creatures. 
It is very probable that the male by passing a coil of his tail end around the 
female not merely keeps her zm situ, but likewise presses the ovarium, and thus 
brings its more matured contents into immediate contact with the fertilising fluid. 
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9. 
The following Papers were read :— 
1. On the Power of certain Bacteria to form Organic Compounds from 
Inorganic Matter. By R. Warinaton, F.2.S. 
The experiments of Warington, Munro, Frankland, and Winogradsky have 
shown that the nitrifying organism can be easily propagated, and will discharge its 
functions actively in ammoniacal cultures to which no organic matter bas been 
added. From such cultures other similar inorganic solutions may be seeded, and 
there is apparently no limit to the series of cultures which may be thus obtained. 
With the nitrifying organism some other species of bacteria may be associated. 
The subject has recently been rigorously investigated by Winogradsky. Using 
vessels and solutions specially purified from organic matter, he finds that under 
such conditions the nitrifying organism increases abundantly and discharges its 
function with unabated vigour. He has further, in four cases, made actual deter- 
minations of the carbon as organic matter formed in solutions during nitrification, 
and finds this to be a very appreciable quantity. 
The formation of organic matter from ammonium carbonate by an organism 
: 
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