270 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society, 



invariable largeness, always superior to that of our herrings 

 of the Channel, of which the small dimensions are equally 

 constant." Now, he said, it was true that considerable 

 shoals of large herrings do appear on the Norway coast in 

 the winter and spring ; but the author seems not to have 

 been aware that there is always in summer considerable 

 shoals and a large fishery of small herrings, generally of a 

 superior quality, but of a smaller size on the average than 

 those caught in the English Channel {La Manche) or on the 

 Scottish coasts ; and he exhibited a specimen of each size, 

 the one a giant of 13J inches, and the other a dwarf of 

 about 9 inches, each with the ova fully developed, and said 

 that any number of each size could be obtained. He alluded 

 to the statement in the same work as to the exceedingly 

 deciduous nature of the scales of the herrings, and said that 

 this was an exaggeration, as was evident even from the spe- 

 cimens he produced, which were covered with their scales. 

 It is stated in this work, that the herring spawns apparently 

 indiscriminately, without selecting any position, even in the 

 middle of the sea — " au milieu de la mer." But this is not 

 the case ; for Mr Mitchell had ascertained that the herring 

 always selects rocky, stony, or gravelly ground, on which to 

 deposit its spawn. He would also point out that at page 

 62, vol. xx., it is said, " c'est pendant Thiver qu'ils appair- 

 rissent sur les cotes d'Europe." Now, it is well known that 

 great shoals of herrings approach the coasts of Europe in 

 summer and autumn, and are fished then, as already stated, 

 in great quantities. 



II. Observations on British Zoophytes and Protozoa. By T. Strethill 

 Weight, M.D. 



1. On the Reproductive Elements of the Rhizopoda. Plate IX. 



We have, as far as I am aware, no definite observations as 

 to the reproductive elements of the Ehizopods. All who are 

 accustomed to the observation of minute marine life know 

 that these creatures increase with great rapidity ; but hoiv 

 they increase is at present a mystery. 



Professor Carpenter* has recorded and figured a peculiar 



* Phil. Trans., vol. cxlvi. p. 212. 



