SEA-FISHEEIES LABOBATOBY. Ill 



most important food supplying agent of the Plaice, as 

 fully 72 % of the stomachs contained the remains of 

 various shell-fish, Annelida were second 22 % and Crustacea 

 third with 8 %. 



Dabs (Pleuronectes limancla). 



176 stomachs of Dabs were examined, of which 70 were 

 empty and 13 contained unrecognisable animal matter, 

 leaving 93 to be accounted for. 



32 stomachs contained Mollusca, or fully 34 %, the 

 Mollusca consisted of the remains of Buccinum, Cardium, 

 Mactra, Mytilus, Philine and Nucula. Here again we 

 also find the smaller sizes of dabs, such as are caught in 

 the shrimp nets, &c, feeding on the young Cockles and 

 Mussels which they pick up on the shell-fish beds. 



24 stomachs contained remains of Annelida, nearly 26 %. 



23 stomachs contained remains of Crustacea, or nearly 

 25 %, and consisted of Crangon, Pagurus, Portunns and 

 various Amphipoda. 



6 stomachs contained remains of Echinoderms, nearly 

 7 %, and consisted chiefly of the sand starfish, Ophioglypha. 



9 stomachs contained remains of fish, nearly 10 %, and 

 were mostly composed of sand eels, but 1 stomach 

 contained a number of fish eggs. 



1 stomach contained remains of a Zoophyte. 



Last year's report gave Annelida as first with 50 %, 

 then Echinoderms, Mollusca, Crustacea and Zoophytes 

 with 21 %, 20 % and 15 % respectively. In the previous 

 year (1893) Mollusca were found to be the chief food. 

 Flounders (Pleuronectes flesus). 



20 stomachs of Flounders were examined 15 of which 

 were empty, the remainder, 5, contained fragments of 

 Annelida. 



Soles (Solea vulgaris). 



40 stomachs of Soles were examined of which 27 were 



