m TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the height of summer, from June to August, while in the 

 Mersey the best hauls were in November and December. 

 Whiting — Both in the Horse Channel and in the 

 Mersey district the whiting seems most abundant in 

 summer, the largest hauls being taken in July and August. 

 After that the numbers fall off and remain comparatively 

 small during the winter, then rise somewhat in February, 

 and fall again in March, April and May, after which they 

 rise to the maximum in July. 



Parasites and Abnormalities in Fish. 

 All the fish which pass through our hands are carefully 

 examined in order to detect the presence of parasites or 

 abnormalities. A collection is being formed of the Cope- 

 poda (generally known as "Fish-lice") obtained from 

 the bodies of the fish. These Copepoda have been exam- 

 ined for us by Mr. I. C. Thompson, F.L.S., who reports 

 that he has identified the following : — 



Parasites — From the Cod — Caligus rapax and C. 

 curtus. From the Hake — Anchor ella appendicu- 

 lata. From Flounder and from Arnoglossus meg- 

 astoma — Lepeoptheirus pectoralis. From the Sprat 

 Lerneonema spratta. 

 Various abnormalities have been also found, including 

 a blind cod and a number of " reversed " flat-fish — speci- 

 mens of Dabs and Flounders in which the young animal 

 has evidently settled down upon its right in place of upon 

 its left side, the result being that the side which is usually 

 blind has both eyes upon it and the side which is usually 

 pigmented is white. A condition not uncommonly met 

 with amongst flat-fish, especially in the plaice, is the 

 partial or entire pigmentation of the lower, usually colour- 

 less, side. In these cases the upper side is in its usual 

 pigmented condition. 



