75 Part III. — Twenty -seventh Annual Report 



The depth of water at Stations III. and IV. is much less than at the 

 others, and scarcely reaches to thirty fathoms ; therefore, as indicated by 

 the Table given above, fewer hauls were taken at these stations. 



As the gatherings were collected at different times of the year, as well as 

 at different stations, they tend to indicate approximately the general 

 distribution of the pelagic Crustacea present in Loch Fyne during the four 

 years referred to. The gatherings also exhibit evidence of local variation 

 in the distribution of these organisms, and to some extent seasonal 

 differences are also indicated ;* but before this latter result could be satis- 

 factorily dealt with the observations would require to be continued over a 

 longer period. 



The nets used were of a uniform size and fineness of mesh, but a few 

 special hauls made off Inveraray, and at Station I. in October 1906, were 

 taken, some of them with a large " mid- water net," and others with a 

 " ring-net." 



Pelagic Copepoda formed a large portion of the contents of the various 

 gatherings, the most common species being Galanus helgolandicus, Claus ; 

 many of the hauls consisted almost entirely of this species. Other forms 

 were sometimes met with, but they seldom occurred in large numbers. A 

 list of the species observed is given at the end of this paper. 



The following is a short description of the quantities and contents of 

 the gatherings collected during the four years at the different stations 

 mentioned above. The quantities are given in cubic centimetres (c.c.'s). t 

 The stations are taken in the order in which they occur in the Table. 



Station I. — Lower Loch Fyne. (E. of Barmore Peninsula.) 



1905. 



■» 



The total number of gatherings from this station is about one hundred 

 and four. Forty-nine of these were collected during 1905, and are 

 shortly described below. 



February. — Seven gatherings were collected in February. They com- 

 prised two horizontal and five vertical hauls. One of the horizontal hauls 

 was collected at the surface, and one was a mid- water gathering ; their 

 contents, which measured about 25 - 5 and 10 c.c.'s respectively, consisted 

 for the most part of Calanus. The vertical hauls were from 30, 45, 60, 

 75, and 90 fathoms. The haul from 30 fathoms measured 2*5 c.c.'s, that 

 from 45 fathoms was badly preserved ; the others, like that from 30 

 fathoms, were small gatherings, and measured respectively 2'5, 2*5, and 

 15 c.c.'s, and consisted for the most part of Calanus. The only other 

 organisms observed were a few fish ova (in the surface gathering), a few 

 Euchceta norvegica, Bradyidius armatus, Pseudocalanus elongatus, young 

 My sis sp., Sagitta and Tomopteris. 



March. — The eight gatherings collected in March included three 

 horizontal hauls — one taken at the surface, one at mid-water, and one near 



* See pp. 94-96, tables for Stations III. and IV. ; compare quantities for May 

 1905 and 1906 with those for 1907 and 1908 for the same month. 



t The quantities of the various gatherings were estimated by my colleague, 

 Dr. Williamson, as explained below, and he has kindly allowed me the use of his notes 

 thereanent. A noted quantity 7 of water was put into a glass measure graduated in 

 centimetres. The tow-net collection was then poured out on to cheese-cloth similar 

 to that of which the tow-nets are made. The mass of Copepoda was then transferred 

 by means of a scapula to the glass measure, and the volume of the water and Copepoda 

 was noted. From that amount the volume of the collection was found by sub- 

 tracting the original quantity of water. When the Copepoda were on the cheese- 

 cloth a certain amount of the formaline solution in which they were preserved 

 was included in the mass. No attempt was made to remove this, except that, 

 when the collection was a large one, it w as gently pressed with the fingers till the 

 excess of fluid ran off. 



