OFP THE EAST COAST OP SCOTLAND. 



89 



Mevagissey in six fathoms of water had changed to the fry of 

 that excessively rare British goby Grystallogohius Nilssoni, the 

 largest of which were one inch and a third long ; there were 

 also a few little herrings and sand-launces. During the last 

 winter, off the same place Mr. Dunn observed mackerel midges 

 {Motella) in the stomachs of herrings taken about eight miles 

 from shore. Off Aberdeen I found another change, the herrings' 

 stomachs being crammed with entomostraca and shrimps and 

 crabs in the zoea stage ; there were also two sand-launces in one 

 herring. In most stomachs I observed some ova, apparently of 

 fish and probably of herrings j but this is only conjecture. Many 

 investigations, constantly carried on at different places throughout 

 the entire herring-season, would be necessary to decide upon 

 what this fish subsists, and whether its food exercises any in- 

 fluence upon the quality of its flesh. That the herring entirely 

 ceases feeding during the time it is in full roe I satisfied myself 

 is an error, or at any rate does not apply to the fish I examined 

 at Aberdeen. 



The breeding of this fish, or rather the period at which such 

 occurs, is subject to very great diversity. At Wick this year 

 (1882), early in January there were herrings full of roe ; while 

 they again spawn there in August and September. The same has 

 been observed in the Moray Firth. 



Kespecting the capture of the herrings off the east coast of 

 Scotland, it is evident that the great bulk of the fishing is carried 

 on much further out to sea than it was a few years since. Still 

 it does not seem at all proved that the inshore fishing has been 

 neglected ; but the probabilities are that the fish are no longer 

 there in sufiicient numbers to repay the fishermen's labour. It 

 also seems doubtful whether the boats have really gone out so 

 far as one hundred and ten miles herring-fishing, as asserted by 

 some of the local fishermen ; for such a distance would necessitate 

 the captures being salted at sea, conveyed in ice, or by a more 

 rapid mode of transit than simply sailing. During the time the 

 'Triton' was investigating the coast, only twice were fishing-crafts 

 seen about one hundred miles from shore : they may have been 

 line-fishing, or, if netting, may have been coming down the coast, 

 seen fish, and were trying their nets. Forty miles appeared to 

 be about the limit at which we found fleets of fishing-boats at 

 work for herrings. Respecting the mesh of the nets employed, 

 doubtless a difference of opinion exists, and many would like to 



LINN. JOURK. — ZOOLOGY, VOL. XVII. 7 



