SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 305 



bring about artificial fertilisation in Arenicola than, for 

 example, in many Echinoderms, and this fact would prove 

 a serious obstacle in the endeavour to cultivate Arenicola 

 with the idea of re-stocking' exhausted sands. This 

 question is, however, not likely to become of practical 

 importance as, judging from reports from various parts of 

 the coast, the supply of lugworms is quite equal to, and 

 even more than, the demand, except, of course, in certain 

 restricted areas where conditions are unfavourable for 

 their life and growth. 



As mentioned above, the sands around Aberdeen form 

 one of these unfavourable areas, so that lugworms are 

 either absent or scarce. In consequence they are imported 

 from the Moray Firth. The worms are gathered chiefly 

 near Campbeltown, near Fort George, Inverness-shire, and 

 sent by rail,* a distance of about 100 miles, the journey 

 occupying at least five hours, to Aberdeen. The worms 

 cost ten shillings per stone, and railway charges, &c, 

 amount to Is. 2d. per stone.* This quantityt would bait 

 four small lines.* A baiting of mussels for the same 

 lines would cost about 3s. 6d., but as a rule the lugworms 

 would catch three or four times as many fish.* It is 

 almost impossible, in warm weather, to transport lug- 

 worms over such a long distance and to deliver them in 

 good condition at their destination. This probably 

 accounts for the fact that they are used in Aberdeen only 

 in the colder part of the year, from December to April. 

 No doubt, the comparatively high price restricts their use 

 for bait during the colder months. This is the only 



* For this information I desire to thank the Secretary of the 

 Fishery Board for Scotland and the principal Fishery Officer of the 

 Aberdeen District. 



t Taking fourteen average lugworms, such as would he used for 

 bait, I find that their mean weight is rather over half an ounce each. 

 There would be about four hundred such worms in a stone (14 lbs.) 



