20 



TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



visitor to Manx waters was observed in the shape of a 

 grey seal, which swam for some time around the foot of 

 the life-boat slip. The plankton fauna will probably be 

 dealt with later by Mr. A. Scott, to whom the tow- 

 nettings have been sent at intervals throughout the year. 



The first eggs of plaice were observed in our 

 spawning-pond on February 14th, seventeen days earlier 

 than the appearance of the first eggs in the season of 1903. 

 During the twelve weeks which elapsed between that date 

 and May 13th, five millions of young fry were set free in 

 the sea by the Assistant Curator, at various points from 

 three to five miles from Port Erin. The numbers of 

 larvEe in this manner set free during the season were as 

 follows : — 



March 3 



14,000 



April 



20 



. . 548,000 



„ 11 



. 72,000 



)? 



25 



. . 392,000 



„ 18 



28,500 



jj 



28 



. . 346,000 



., 20 



. 28,500 



» 



29 



. . 325,000 



„ 25 



79,000 



May 



4 



. . 279,000 



„ 30 



. 285,000 



j? 



5 



.. 106,500 



April 1 



. 254,000 



55 



6 



. . 96,000 



„ 8 



. 661,000 



»} 



10 



.. 241,500 



» io 



40,000 



55 



11 



. . 33,500 



„ 11 



. 224,000 



55 



14 



92,000 



13 



415 000 









,, 15 



. 240,000 





Total . 



..5,096,500 



„ 18 



. 296,000 









More careful observation than was possible during our 

 first hatching season showed that the percentage of 

 unfertilised eggs which appealed daily on the surface of 

 the pond was largesl at the beginning and at the end of 

 the season. The range was from about 10 per cent, of the 

 earliest and latest collections of eggs to about 7 per cent. 



